Moved
by emileighhs
Summary: It's been two years since the end of the war and Katniss and Peeta are officially married and both 19. What if Katniss agreed to have a baby at a much earlier age than in Mockingjay?
1. Chapter 1

Enjoy(:

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><p>I steady my breathing and load an arrow. A wild turkey is just a few feet below my tree, pecking around and looking for food. Silence is pressing against my ears before I let loose the arrow and the whistling noise replaces it. The turkey hits the ground with the arrow sticking out of its eye.<p>

I climb down the tree and pull the arrow out. This turkey is fat and will make a really good dinner tonight. My stomach rumbles just at the thought. I clean it and hold it out from my body as I walk through the newly attached door in the fence protecting District 12 from the animals that lurk in the woods. When I make it back to the house, it's lunch time.

I open the front door and Peeta comes to greet me from the kitchen but I hold out the turkey and he stops.

"That's a big turkey," he says, pulling it out of my hands and setting it in the sink. He then turns back to me and tugs me into a hug. I rest my cheek on his his chest and can hear his heartbeat.

He lets me go and kisses me quickly. "What do you want for lunch? I'm guessing that turkey is going to be saved for dinner?"

I grin and nod, my right hand going to my left and twisting the ring on it. Peeta and I've been married for nearly a year and a half. It wasn't a huge Capitol ordeal, it was a quiet District 12 ceremony and I was glad. My mom came. Gale came too and I have to admit, I was surprised. When I called to invite him, I thought he'd just brush it away but he didn't. And he brought his new girlfriend, Mally.

Peeta's eyes go to my hands and he smiles, pulling my right hand away from my left and kissing it. "What do you want for lunch?" he asks again, intertwining our fingers. I shrug.

"It's whatever you want, Peeta."

"That's not a lot of help," he scolds. I roll my eyes, a smiling creeping its way onto my face. I can't remember being this happy. No cameras, no deaths, no hiding, and no fake love. I feel like a completely different person, but I'm still bitter sometimes. And there are days when Prim seems to wiggle her way into my mind and I can't even get out of bed because the depression is so crippling.

I try not to act like that because I know Peeta needs help too with remembering things and I can't just lock out the world. In a way, I'm reminded of my mother and what that did to me. It made me resent her and I don't want Peeta ending up hating me because I couldn't handle Prim's death. Peeta's doing fine with his family's death. His brothers, mother and father. He's lost more than me and he seems to be getting along fine.

But he wasn't as close to his brothers as I was with Prim. His father was nice and I'm sure him and Peeta were close.

"Katniss?"

Peeta's worried voice yanks me from my thoughts. "Hmm?"

"Are you okay?" he asks, grasping my chin and making me look at him. I just basically talked myself into depression. I shake my head to clear out those thoughts and nod.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I'm going to take a shower, okay? Lunch can be whatever you want, you know I'm not picky." I stand on my toes to kiss him. I take off my bow and sheath of arrows and put them in the closet by the front door. There's no need in hiding them in the woods anymore since Paylor became president.

I shrug off my father's hunting jacket and set it on the back of the couch. Then I take off my boots and put them by the closet door. Peeta comes up from behind me and wraps his arms around my waist.

"Why don't I join you?" he whispers, sending shivers down my spine. I feel my face heat up. I'm not good at romance, I never have, I guess those things left when I was more worried about staying alive after my father died.

I bite my lip. I was kind of hoping for a shower alone, but one with Peeta couldn't hurt. "Okay," I whisper back, my face heating up even more. Peeta takes my hand and tugs me up the stairs. We make it to the bathroom and Peeta reaches for my shirt, pulling it over my head.

He undresses me and himself and we get in the shower. Nakedness has always been a weakness for me. It's embarrassing to see anyone naked or anyone see me naked, but Peeta and I are married. It's not the first time I've seen him without any clothes on.

I let the hot water flow over my shoulders and down my back, relaxing me easily. Peeta's hands are in my hair and I'm confused for a moment until I realize I had left my braid in. My hair wasn't as long as it was two years ago. It is now level with my shoulder blades. He unbraids my hair and runs his fingers through it, giving me goose bumps.

As Peeta's lips cover mine I realize that both of our healing processes can't be done on their own.

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><p>We skipped lunch. After the shower, we crawled into bed and Peeta fell asleep. I wonder how long he's been awake. For all I know, he could've been up hours before I went hunting. Peeta sometimes has insomnia and I can't blame him. Sometimes, I have the exact opposite of insomnia. I could sleep all day.<p>

I try to take a nap, but I had a long sleep and I can't. Instead, I curl up next to Peeta's sleeping form and wait for him to wake up. He does after about two hours. When he wakes up, his arm tightens around me and his bright blue eyes look like he'd been thinking while asleep.

The words that come out of his mouth make me heart stutter.

"Katniss, can we have a baby?"

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><p><strong>AN: Hey there! This chapter is super short so I will make the next one longer I promise. Correct me if I'm wrong in any information because I haven't read Mockingjay in a long time, and I plan on rereading them put my friend has them and she's grounded so it'll be a while until I can. Bear with me! Thanks! :D _Review please._**


	2. Chapter 2: Decisions

**A/N: Howdy! You guys are so responsive that I wrote the second chapter! It's not as long as I hoped it to be, but I hope the others will be because there will be more ;) Thank you micmic022 for being the first person to review! And thank you everyone else for reviewing and favoriting and following my story! I think I even saw someone put me as one of their favorite authors :D ENJOY and review please((:((:((:**

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><p>I sighed heavily. "Peeta," I whined. I thought this ship had sailed long ago. Peeta started asking about babies a month after our wedding and I refused. I had made a promise to myself that I would never have kids. I couldn't risk them being reaped, being in the games and their own parents having to mentor them, only to see them die.<p>

_ But there's no more games, no more reapings, no more mentors_, a part of my brain whispered.

_ Shut up_, I tell it. Peeta frowned at me. "Katniss, nothing can happen to them. We're rich, there's no more games, Katniss, please?" Peeta begged and I am reminded of Prim when she brought home Buttercup. How she begged and pleaded and eventually cried. I don't want Peeta to cry, but I can't risk having a kid.

"I don't..." I start but my thoughts are interrupted by a picture my mind created. A beautiful little girl, wrapped in a soft pink blanket. She has blond hair that falls over her forehead in waves and her eyes are the common blue that every baby is born with. The first thought that comes to mind is _I wonder what color her eyes'll be._

I blink, bringing myself back to our bed, back to Peeta's pleading eyes. I feel my eyebrows furrow.

"No," I say and Peeta huffs. He's sad now. I roll over on top of him and straddle his abdomen.

"Listen to me. I know you want kids so badly but I don't think I'm ready. I don't think I can handle taking care of another human being, one that depends on me for everything."

"You take care of me," Peeta interrupts, pouting.

"But if I forget you somewhere, you'll be able to find your way home. I just can't handle the pressure of raising a baby. What if I tell her the wrong things and she turns out evil?" Peeta snorts at this.

"Evil? Katniss, that is very unlikely to happen. Besides, you won't be doing his on your own. I'm here, I can help, and even if she turns out 'evil' or whatever you can blame me." Peeta smiles at the end as though I'd really do that.

"But you're the sweetest, kindest person, you could never turn anyone evil. No one would believe you. You're just-" I fight for a word and find one that hardly describes Peeta. "-perfect."

"No, I'm not, but this has nothing to do with me. It's about us." Peeta's hands fall on my hips and he squeezes gently. "We can do this. YOU can do this. You started a rebellion, I'm pretty sure you can handle a kid. And it's just one kid for now, not six. They'll never go hungry, they'll never have to worry about death, or sickness that can't be healed."

After a moment I realize that Peeta is a very persuasive person. He was very slowly breaking through my wall. I sigh his name again and lean my forehead against his.

"I don't...I really don't know." Peeta's eyes light up at the smallest ray of hope.

"You don't have to decide today or right now," he says quietly. I roll off him and cuddle up next to him.

"I'm hungry," I say and Peeta knows that the conversation has ended.

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><p><strong>** One month later**<strong>

"Peeta," I murmur, kissing the shell of his ear. He shivers in his sleep and rolls over on his stomach, not willing to wake up. I frown. It's mid-afternoon and he's been asleep all day. I've had nothing to do, seeing as it was now winter and freezing outside and I wasn't in the mood to hunt when it's cold.

I watched tv for nearly three hours until I was officially tired of the old newscasts of the rebellion. Instead, I came up here to cuddle with Peeta but he was still asleep. I put my hand on his bare, warm shoulder and shake him.

"Peeta," I say a bit louder. Even though I saw him roll over four seconds ago, I start to panic. He rolls back over and squints up at me.

"What?" he asks groggily. I take a deep breath of relief.

"You've been asleep all day and I wanted to know if you want to wake up?" I ask innocently.

"There's no point in asking if I'm already up," he sighs, gripping my waist and pulling me on top of him. I roll my eyes and he kisses me, reaching a hand up to pull my hair out of my ponytail.

He runs his fingers through my hair until it's a curtain between us. "What've you been doing?" Peeta asks.

"I watched tv and that's about it."

"Really? Do you think you could run to the store for me and grab some cheese; I think we're all out. I'm going to make your favorite," he says, arching up to kiss me again.

"Okay."

As I get ready, pulling on my boots and my father's thick hunting jacket, Peeta pulls a hat over my head. It's the hat my mother had sent to me a few weeks ago. It was pure white with tassels that hung down the sides and a puffball on the top. I haven't wore it once and I wasn't planning on it, but since Peeta put it on me, I don't feel like arguing.

"You look cute," he says, grinning. I shake my head and kiss him quickly before leaving. When I walk down the grey icy streets, I meet eyes with a pregnant woman who looks like she's about to pop. She's holding the hand of a man and on his other side is a little boy mumbling words I can't understand.

The couple smiles at me as they pass. I do not know them, but they know me. I'm Katniss, the girl on fire, the mockingjay, the start of a rebellion.

I smile back politely but I feel something hit me like a ton of bricks. They look so happy, they had no deaths to look forward to, no worries about their child dying in an arena.

I race back to the house, and run upstairs to our bathroom. I can hear Peera calling after me, worried. I come back downstairs holding the bottle of birth control pills. Only take one once a month and there are no worries of getting pregnant. I show the bottle to Peeta. He shrugs.

"What about them? You've already taken yours for this month."

I unscrew the top and make sure Peeta is watching as I pour them in the sink and throw the empty bottle in the trash. Peeta's eyes are so wide I'm afraid that he'll pop a blood vessel.

"Really?" he breathes, his oversized eyes meeting mine. There's no turning back now that I've seen so much hope in his face.

I nod and before I could say anything else, his arms are around me and his lips crashing into mine.

I can't take back what I've said, it'll crush Peeta. Now I have to face the fact that sometime soon I will be a mother.

_ I'm not ready_, my mind whispers, but I block it out and kiss Peeta with more force.


	3. Chapter 3: Nightmares

**A/N: yaaaaay! I love you guys. Here's chapter 3. It's a bit longer but the beginning kind of sucks. Who watched the amazing trailor? I DID! It was great. And Josh Hutcherson= yummy. okay...**

**Enjoy(: (review please!)**

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><p><strong>**One month later**<strong>

It is officially time for me to take my birth control pill. The other one has worn off which means it's baby making time. Peeta knows when I'm supposed to take my pill, just in case I forgot (which I'm sure he'd love) but there's no need now.

I stretch my arms over my head and hear my joints pop. I roll over and notice Peeta is awake, smiling at me. He knows.

"Morning," he says, kissing me. I raise my eyebrows quickly and drop them.

"Morning to yourself, Peeta," I say. He puts his hand on my waist and pulls me towards him.

"Katniss...I know your decision was sudden and you've had a month to think about having a baby, but are you sure?"

I bite my lip. I'm not, I'm not sure at all, but deep down a part of me is whispering, I want it. I want a baby. I nod slowly. Peeta grins at me and kisses me, pulling me even closer. His hands go to my pajama bottoms but I push them away.

"I think we should wait a couple of days, just to make sure the birth control has worn off, okay?"

Peeta nods, looking a little crestfallen. I kiss him hard and roll out of bed, my stomach practically vibrating when it growls. Peeta laughs and says he'll make breakfast. I follow, knowing that from now on, our relationship will be completely different.

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><p>Peeta's fingers are in my hair and his lips are hot against mine. I haven't taken birth control in three days and I finally agreed in trying to conceive. His other hand starts to roll my pants off. When he breaks away, I hear myself panting. Our love making is going to be different. Peeta is more excited about this time that it's almost like our first.<p>

I pull his shirt over his head and kiss along his chest, receiving a growl from him. His hands move to my bottom to pull me on top of him. I pull off his pants and run my fingers through his hair as he kisses across the top of my breasts. We shed off our remainder of clothes.

Then we become one.

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><p>I wake up with the worst headache I could imagine. I can feel my heartbeat pounding behind my right eye where I usually get headaches. My stomach twists and I'm out of the bed and in the bathroom in an instant, retching.<p>

Peeta flicks the light on and rubs my back. "Are you okay?" His voice is thick with sleep.

"Yeah," I say, rubbing my stomach.

"Want some tea?"

"Yes," I answer back, now massaging my temples. Peeta is back in a few minutes and handing me a steaming cup of tea.

"Thank you." I take a sip and immediately spit it out in the toilet. It tastes horrible.

Peeta squats down next to me and cups my chin.

"Katniss, are you okay?"

"That tea tasted horrible!" I gasp, pushing the mug as far as I can from me with my foot. "What flavor is it?"

"It's your favorite."

"M-my favorite? I don't remember it tasting like that." My voice trails off at the end of the sentence and suddenly Peeta looks wide awake.

"Do you think you're pregnant?" he asks, brushing my hair out of my face. I swallow hard.

"Maybe," I whisper.

"Should we go to the doctor?" Peeta looks so excited that I can't help but smile.

"I guess so, just to make sure. I could be wrong."

Peeta rushes out of the room and I know he's calling the hospital to make an appointment. I'm glad that when District 12 was rebuilt, Paylor included a brand new hospital. It is nice, but the look of it reminded me of when I first found out that Peeta was taken by the Capitol and it makes me want to throw up.

My hand goes to my completely flat stomach, trying to imagine it ballooning. The image strangely made me smile. I feel like I have two sides of me: one that's completely scared to death and the other that's excited.

I take a deep breath and rub my stomach. I've got to be pregnant or completely sick but nothing's been going around. I don't want to be a horrible mother. I don't want to ruin this child's life.

Peeta comes back in the room, still grinning. "They said they can see you later on today. They'll run a test." He helps me up and my stomach lurches at the smell of the tea.

"I'm sorry, Peeta, but can you please throw that tea out? It's making me nauseous."

"Yeah, sure." He kisses me then picks up the mug, putting his hand over the top so I couldn't smell it.

I crawl back into bed, remembering that it must be about three in the morning. Why the hospital is answering non-emergency calls at this time, I'm not sure. Peeta snuggles in next to me, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind.

"I love you," he says into my shoulder.

"I love you, too."

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><p>"Mrs. Katniss Mellark?"<p>

My heart starts at my name. I'm still not used to being called Katniss Mellark. Peeta squeezes my hand and stands up, following the nurse back to a bleached white room. The clean smell makes my head spin and I have to grip Peeta's hand to stay upright.

The questions fly by, and before I know it, my blood is being drawn. I close my eyes and press my face into Peeta's shoulder. I've never really liked blood. When the doctor is done she smiles at me.

"It'll only be a few minutes to test this. I'll be right back."

"Peeta," I say, bringing my hand he wasn't holding up to my mouth so I could bite my nails. "What if I'm not pregnant? What would you do?"

Peeta takes this as shock. "Um, I guess keep on trying?" he answers jokingly. Then he squeezes my hand. "It doesn't matter if you're not."

I nod and feel my stomach twist in fear. My heart starts to pump faster and harder and I'm afraid I'll have a panic attack. Peeta being next to me, so solid, so warm, so calm, keeps me from completely going over the edge. Before I could even let my mind wander, the doctor's back.

"Here you go, have a wonderful afternoon," she says, handing me and envelope that feels much heavier than it looks. I grip Peeta's hand harder as we leave the hospital.

After being watched so closely, the cameras always in my face, I've grown accustom to use any piece of privacy I have. So I don't open the envelope until I'm safe in our house, sitting next to Peeta on the couch.

I stare at the envelope a full five minutes before sliding my finger underneath the seal. I flip it over and a flat piece of light green plastic tumbles out and lands in my hands. Peeta raises an eyebrow and I pass it to him. He finds a flap and opens it. His eyes read the title before mine.

"Prenatal care," he says slowly, staring at the words hard. At his words, I yank out the results and unfold it, smoothing it repeatedly.

"Congratulations Mrs. Mellark, you are pregnant! You are five weeks along, and we ask that you take the prenatal vitamins provided for you. Please take one every day to keep you and your baby healthy! We also ask that you come in in three weeks for your first ultrasound. Congratulations!"

I can hear my heartbeat in my ears. Five weeks? I'm already a month pregnant? How is that even possible without me noticing? But I guess it takes a while for sperm and egg to meet up and make a human being.

Peeta reads slower than me, but he's grinning the widest I've ever seen. When he finishes reading, his eyes dart to my stomach then back too my face.

"Katniss," he says slowly. I smile at him, and it's not completely forced which is good. He kisses me, brushing his fingers across my cheek. My stomach growls loudly and I pull away.

"You're hungry. Want a salad or something?" Peeta asks.

I wrinkle my nose and pull away. I say the first thing that comes to mind, "No, nothing green." Peeta stares at me, confused.

"I don't know, green just sounds gross to me. Ooh, I know. I want cookies." I lick my lips at the thought.

"Cookies?"

"Please, please, please Peeta?" I pout, leaning forward slightly. He sighs.

"Okay, Katniss, but only for you." I grin and almost clap my hands together but I stop myself. Maybe I'm over-excited, I think.

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><p>I'm looking at the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Her blonde hair is long for a toddler and it's wavy. Her bright blue eyes (Peeta's eyes! my mind shouts) are looking up at me and she's smiling.<p>

"Mommy," she says but it sounds all wrong. I shouldn't be called mommy. Mommy is a sweeter word, for someone nothing like me. It sounds like something Prim would be called.

"Mommy?" She looks worried now. I reach my hand out, just to touch her and she lets out a bloodcurdling scream.

There are orange monkeys everywhere, biting her with their long fangs. Her cries are full of pain.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy!" she screams. I try to yank the monkeys off, but their teeth are too deep. I don't have a weapon. I pound their back, rip their hair, trying to do anything to get them off my daughter. There's nothing I can do. The act like I'm not even there.

I have to protect my baby, I have to protect my baby, I have to protect my baby, is the only thing running through my mind. There's nothing I can do, there's nothing I can do.

Peeta's arms are around me, trying to shake me away. I'm screaming my head off, my throat going raw.

"Katniss!" Peeta says sharply and I realize in not dreaming anymore. I shove Peeta's arms away and my hands fly under my shirt, pressed flat against my stomach. It's the same size it's always been, but I feel like it's changed.

"I have to protect her," I gasp, removing one hand to wipe away a few tears. Peeta puts his arms back around me, stroking my back.

"It's okay," he murmurs,"She's okay, Katniss, you are protecting her." His words calm me and I release my death grip in my abdomen. I wrap my arms around Peeta's neck and bury my face into his neck.

"It's okay," he breathes, and I know I have to trust him.


	4. Chapter 4: Heartbeats and Pictures

_When will I see you again?_

_You left with no goodbye, not a single word was said,_

_No final kiss to seal any sin,_

_I had no idea of the state we were in._

_I know I have a fickle heart, and a bitterness, and wondering eye and a heaviness in my head,_

_But don't you remember?_

_Don't you remember?_

_The reason you loved me before,_

_Baby please remember me once more._

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><p><em>"What?"<em>

"Mother, I'm pregnant," I sigh. I've already told her once.

"Katniss...that's-that's great! Wow, I'm going to be a grandmother." I hear the joy in my mother's voice and I smile. The front door behind me opens and Peeta walks in, shaking the snow out of his hair and off his jacket. He works in the bakery now. He doesn't own it, he doesn't want to, so he just works. He still ices the cakes in the display.

He mouths, "Who are you talking to?"

I mouth back, "Mom." He nods and gives me a thumbs up. I return it and turn my attention back to my mother.

"When are you due?" she asks.

"Around August, I'm guessing. I haven't gone in for my first appointment, that's in a week. I'm getting an ultrasound."

"Oh, Katniss, you make me feel so old. When you're far enough along for them to take a picture, you'll have to send me one. "

"I will, I promise. Will you come visit after she's born?" I ask quietly. I jump when Peeta slides his arms around me from behind. I didn't know he was still in the room.

"You think it's a girl? I'm not sure, I'll have to see if I can take off. If I can, I most definitely will come down there."

"I do know if it's a girl. It's just dreams that I have," I say. Peeta takes this moment to say, "Hello Mrs.  
>Everdeen!"<p>

My mother laughs. "Tell Peeta I said hi and congratulations."

"Mother says hi and congratulations." Peeta quickly kisses me and I'm not really sure why.

"Anyways, Katniss, I had dreams about you. But you were a boy in my dreams," she says. I sigh.

"Oh. It could be a boy too, who knows?"

My mother and I talk for a few more minutes, Peeta still attached to me. I glance down at my stomach and can see it now has a small curve to it. It seems crazy that I'm already showing so I point this out to my mother.

"Katniss, all women are different. You're thin, so your stomach will probably show sooner than someone who's bigger than you. It's all different. I showed really early to, so it's normal."

"Okay," I say. I am really close to coming to terms with my baby. After that awful nightmare, I realized that if I'm going to be a mother, my baby is going to depend on me, ready or not. Peeta's really helping me too, which is great. I need him.

"Alright, I'm going to go now. I love you."

"I love you too, mother. I'll call you after my appointment, okay?"

"Okay, goodbye."

"Bye."

I put down the phone and place my hands over Peeta's. "How was work?"

"It was okay, just like any other day. I missed you." I feel my face heat up and smile.

"I missed you too, Peeta." I turn in his arms and wrap mine around his neck.

Suddenly, the room starts to spin and I have to squeeze my eyes shut to keep from throwing up.

"Katniss?" Peeta doesn't let me go, which is good.

"I'm okay, just really nauseous. I need to sit down," I murmur. I slip from Peeta's arms and sit on the couch, pulling a pillow against my chest. It aches when I squeeze the pillow tighter and I wince. My breasts have been sore for the past two weeks and continue to grow sorer.

So far, pregnancy is not my favorite thing at the moment. But anything sweet is. It's strange because now I can't get within two feet of my favorite food.

I get comfortable on the couch and stretch my legs to rest my feet in Peeta's lap. Nausea comes and goes with me. Before I called my mom, it was worse.

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><p>"Alright , if you'll just lay down for me, we'll get started." The doctor says. I nervously lay down on a reclined chair, taking Peeta's hand.<p>

She pulls out a white, circular object that could easily fit in the palm of my hand that had what looked like a small camera placed in the middle. She applies some sort of green gel on my stomach and set the contraption near my belly button.

It begins to move on its own before I can hear a faint pounding noise.

"What's that?" I ask, fear kicking in.

"It's your baby's heartbeat. It's very faint, but the farther you get along, the louder it'll get."

I nod. The circular thing lights up brightly and a picture is projected in the air. It's black and white with a small, grey peanut shaped object in the center. One end of it is curled up and after a moment I realize that it's a picture of my baby.

I turn my head to look at Peeta. His eyes are wide and I can see a connection that leaves his eyes so strong with love, it makes my heart ache. I look back at the projection and feel an urge to put my hand on my stomach but I can't at the moment.

It finally hits. This little...blueberry sized thing is mine. My flesh, my blood. My future. I can hear my heart pounding in my ears. I'll have to feed it, kiss it, hug it, rock it sleep. A shiver runs down my spine and now my hands are itching to touch my stomach, rub it, to have any sort of contact with my baby. The doctor interrupts my chain of thoughts.

"We'll have to do a few more things before you can go. But I'll need you to come in once a month until you're about thirty weeks along, then you'll come in every other week, okay?"

"Okay," I breathe.

She does a few more things, measuring my stomach, checking my pelvis to see if there's enough room for when I give birth, things like that. Peeta's so excited that by the time we leave, he's bouncing on the balls of his feet, something out of character.

"Are you okay?" I joke.

"Yes. I just...I'm going to be a dad!" he says excitedly. I have a feeling that this baby, boy or girl, is most definitely going to get Peeta's full blown attention at all times. They're going to be spoiled rotten.

I take Peeta's hand, intertwining our fingers. "Only six to seven more months!" I say brightly, exaggerating. Peeta shakes his head.

"I know. It seems so far away. I can't wait to find out if it's a girl or boy. What do you think?"

"I don't know what about you?" I sigh, opening up our front door.

"I think it's a boy."

"You know, we haven't told Haymitch the news, or even checked on him in a while," I say, putting my jacket back on that I had taken halfway off.

"You want to go see him?"

"Yes." After realizing how rude I sound, I add, "Please."

We make it to Haymitch's front door and I'm preparing myself to hold my breath for a long period of time, but when Peeta pushed open the door, I catch whiff of lemon, which is even worse.

I run to Haymitch's bathroom and throw up, holding my stomach, then washing out my mouth in the pristine sink. I had forgotten I made Haymitch hire a girl looking for a job to clean his house every week. Her name is Mac and she's only sixteen, but probably the sweetest person I've ever met. She has the merchant blond hair, but she has the Seam eyes.

Poor girl having to clean up after Haymitch. When I walk back into the kitchen, Peeta is leaned against the counter, a teapot placed on the stove.

"What's up with you, sweetheart?" Haymitch asks. His words come out slightly slurred. He is sitting at his kitchen table as always. Now that the Hunger Games are over, Haymitch doesn't have to mentor anymore, he's lightened up on the drinking, but drinking none the less.

"I'm pregnant," I say casually.

Haymitch stares at me in shock. "Didn't expect that coming. You _are _serious, right?"

I nod and lift my shirt to show off the inch I have gained around and in between my hips as if it'll convince him even more.

He shrugs. "Nice," is all he says. I run my fingers over the small holes the pockmark the table from where Haymitch had stuck in knife in the table just to have somewhere to keep it.

"You know that book you said you and Peeta started?" Haymitch suddenly asks, breaking the silence that was becoming awkward.

"Yes," I say.

"I've been meaning to add something to it."

I stare at him. Haymitch isn't really one to get involved in things.

"Like what?" Peeta asks from behind him, shooting me a curious look.

"All the tributes I've mentored."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey readers! Whaddup? Okay, so anyways, thanks for the reviews and everything! Any names that you think would fit Katniss and Peeta's kids? Any at all? GOOD! Put them in your review (because I can't seem to find a name fitting enough for their baby) and if I think it fits, I might use it! (and give you credit, you brilliant thinkers, you). I'm noth going to tell you what they're having but I'll give you a hint:**

_**I like keepin' it canon. **_

__**So keep that in mind and please give me ideas! And don't you think that the song at the beginning is so fitting for Katniss and Peeta? (Don't You Remember by Adele) I do. Anywho, thanks! I love you guys!**


	5. Chapter 5: Unexpected Surprises

_But I set fire to the rain,_  
><em>Watched it pour as I touched your face,<em>  
><em>Well, it burned while I cried<em>  
><em>'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name.<em>

_When I lay with you_  
><em>I could stay there<em>  
><em>Close my eyes<em>  
><em>Feel you here forever<em>  
><em>You and me together<em>  
><em>Nothing gets better<em>

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews and everything else! Here's chapter 5, review and enjoy please! (:**

* * *

><p>The next week was consumed by Haymitch describing the tributes, Peeta having to sketch them out multiple times until Haymitch thought they were correct and me writing down the information he provided. Most of them had straight black hair and Seam grey eyes. The occasional one had blonde hair and blue eyes, but that was a little rare since they didn't have tesserae, thus their name only having to be entered eight at the most.<p>

The hardest one for Haymitch to put in the book was Maysilee Donner even though he didn't mentor her. She was still in the games. She still died. I could tell this was hard on him because when I mentioned it, he left and came back two minutes later with a liquor bottle that hadn't even been opened yet.

Peeta's fingers were intertwined with mine on the eighth day of doing this, we were on the 38th tribute, a fourteen year old girl named Tin. She died in the blood bath on the first day.

The phone rang just as I was writing out her last name. Peeta answered it.

"Oh! Annie, how are you?"

My ears immediately perk and I was out of my seat in seconds. Annie Cresta-O'dair hadn't called in over a year.

"Yeah, here she is," Peeta said and handed the phone to me.

"Hello?"

"Katniss," she says, then lets out a laugh. Annie's always been strange, laughing at odd moments and dropping out distractedly at points in the conversation. But Finnick loved her, and that's always been good enough for me.

"Hey Annie," I say softly.

"Fin wants to say hi," she says, and there's a static sound as she repositions the phone to her son, who can't be more than two.

"Mama," is all he says and I laugh. Then I move over to the table where the book is and flip until I find the picture of Fin. His bronze hair flopping over his forehead and his bright, piercing green eyes even at a young age.

"He just want to say..." Annie drops off mid-sentence and picks back up on a different subject. "You're having a baby," she says quietly.

"_What?_" I gasp, my eyebrows knitting in confusion. How on earth did Annie find out that I was pregnant when she's all the way in District 4? Annie doesn't answer back.

"Annie, what do you mean?" Peeta's looking at me concerned but I wave him off and turn my back to him.

"It's on the news. Why didn't you tell me you're a mommy?" By her voice I could tell she had heard about it more than once.

"Annie, I'm only two months pregnant, I haven't told any one, with a few exceptions- wait." I freeze completely, my heart pounding. "The news?"

"Mhmm. I'm going to go. I want to go swimming." The phone cuts off.

"What is it?" Peeta asks.

"The news," I sputter, grabbing the remote and turning on the tv. I catch a woman right in the middle of it.

_"-Katniss Mellark, the Mockingjay, is pregnant with her first child with Peeta Mellark. No photos yet. My source says that she's been pregnant for two months now! Congratulations Katniss, and I give you my luck. I personally know kids are hard to handle. Why just the other day-"_

I mute it while the reporter babbles on about her kids.

"How did that even get out?" I snap, my anger rising easily. Never a moment of privacy for me, never will there be. It'll always be cameras, reporters, people prying into my life.

Peeta shook his head and turned to look at Haymitch who immediately put his hands in the air.

"It wasn't me."

I cross my arms and drop onto the couch next to me, the book temporarily forgotten. Peeta comes up from behind me and places his hand on my shoulder.

"Katniss, it's okay, what does it matter to us?"

"What matters is that I can't keep one thing to myself! I'm tired of everyone having to know what I'm doing, what I'm wearing, where I'm going! I can't have a private moment to myself, to _us_, Peeta. I'm just tired of it." I lay down and roll over on my stomach to press my face into the white couch. Peeta's hand lands on the small of my back and he gently massages there. When he speaks, it's not to me, but to Haymitch.

"She's been like this for a while," he says calmly. I grunt. That was true. My hormones are all over the place at the moment, my emotions going up and down.

"Alright." I hear the chair scoot across the floor as Haymitch stands up. "I guess we'll finish this later." And then he's gone.

I'm so tired; I can barely keep my eyes open. Pregnancy is taking it's tole on me and I've been more tired than ever. In one of the books my mother sent it says that at nine weeks pregnant, I'm supposed to feel tired. But all I feel is useless. I can't help Peeta with cooking dinner because the smell of anything cooking drives me out of the house for a walk.

Even that's wearing me out. I rub my temples where my head is starting to ache.

My clothes are starting to get a bit tighter, and my bra doesn't even fit. My breasts hurt and I'm always throwing up.

Peeta sits on the floor in front of the couch and I feel sad now. So I sit up, put both of my knees on either sides of him and run my fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I just...I hate not being able to keep something between us."

"It's okay, Katniss. I know how you feel. I hate it too, but there's nothing we can do about it, so there's no point in getting mad. Or at least that's how I see it." He shrugs.

I brush my fingers against his cheeks and land them on his shoulders. "Okay" is all I say.

He twists at the waist to look at me. "I love you, Katniss."

"I love you too, Peeta." I lean down to kiss him. We sit silently for a moment, staring at the fire until Peeta speaks up.

"Have you thought of names? For the baby?" he asks quietly.

"What?" I say quickly.

"Names. I haven't really thought of any, but your mom sent two other books."

Peeta stands up and grabs a package in the chair next to the fire that I had noticed. He hands them to me and in my mom's neat handwriting it says "These are so you can find a good name. Make it count."

I open the package and inside are two books. One has plant names and the other, baby names. I laugh at the plant one. I know she meant it as a practical joke, because my name is Katniss, but I just might actually go through it.

"Here," I say, passing over the name book and I begin to flip through the plant one until I reach primrose. My throat closes up. I feel my face burn and my eyes prickle. I slam the book shut before I could cry.

I squeeze my eyes shut and feel Peeta's hand on my knee, giving me a reassuring squeeze. It's okay, I tell myself. I'm okay, Prim's not here, yet she is. It's strange, and I know it sounds crazy, but sometimes, I swear I can hear her laugh.

It makes me feel like I'm going insane.

"Katniss." Peeta pulls the book from my hands and I hear both of them hit the floor. "We don't have to look at them now," he says quietly, cupping my face. I open my eyes and he's inches away, his breath coming from between his parted lips and hitting mine.

"I..." My heart stutters at just seeing him this close. My eyes jump to his lips and back to his eyes. Peeta can comfort me very well, and, sometimes, it involves his lips. He is the one who leans forward to press his lips against mine. I sigh, wrap my arms around his neck, and pull him closer.

He grips my waist, lifts me off the couch and slides underneath me as our kiss becomes more heated. I straddle his waist and lean back down to kiss him hard.

Peeta's hands go to my hair where he pulls the hair tie out of my braid. I pull away slightly.

"Why do you always do that?" I ask.

"Do what?" He drops his hand to my  
>hips.<p>

"Whenever we kiss, you always unbraid my hair. I'm just curious to know why."

Peeta shrugs and blushes. I raise my eyebrows. He doesn't usually blush.

"It's just...um, I don't really know, I just like your hair down. You look different," he says softly, running his fingers through it. I stare at him, my hands pressed flat against his chest. And then I lean down to kiss him again, my hair slipping over my shoulders and tickling Peeta's face.

Peeta nudges his hips against mine. I get the message and stand up, biting my lip. He grabs my hand and pulls me up the stairs, not stopping until we're in our bedroom.

* * *

><p>Fourteen weeks. Three and a half months pregnant. I am most definitely showing now. All of my clothes are now too small.<p>

I'm sitting on the couch wearing one of Peeta's button up shirts. It's only buttoned up to my chest, the rest of it open and showing off my stomach. When I had it buttoned up all the way, a button would pop open every few minutes and it aggravated me so much, that I unbuttoned them and didn't bother to put a shirt on underneath.

I wish Peeta was here, but he's at the bakery, working. I slide down the couch a little further. If I weren't pregnant, I'd be hunting right now. Hauling in some over-sized bird...filled with orange sauce. I shake my head at this random thought, remembering the birds from the Capitol. My stomach growls loudly.

As I get up to make myself something to eat, someone knocks on the door.

Haymitch, is my first thought, but if it were Haymitch, he'd walk right in without knocking as Peeta and I would with him. I go over to the door and open it. My mind doesn't register the immediate shock that comes to my body in waves.

Gale.


	6. Chapter 6: Gale

"Gale!" I gasp. I jerk my shirt closed and when I look up, Gale's eyes are on my stomach and I can tell he's surprised.

"Hey Catnip," he says, pulling his grey eyes back up to meet mine. "Um, expecting?"

I don't answer the question. "What're you doing here?" Then I pull him into a hug, very aware of my abdomen pressing into his.

"Thought I'd surprise you, but it seems that you're doing more of the surprising."

I feel my face heat up as I try to keep the flaps of the shirt closed. "Um, yeah. Have you not seen the news? It's all over it."

"No, I don't really watch it anymore." I know why. Too much of the rebellion is stilled aired on there. All of the deaths, the weapons, the explosions, replayed over and over again. It'll make you sick.

Gale's voice jerks me out of my horrible memories. "So, the husband here?"

"No, he's at the bakery. Come in," I say. Gale does, and he sits on the couch, looking over his shoulder at me.

"How've you been?" he asks, watching me as I come around and sit next to him.

"Good, really good. How's Mally?" I ask, bringing up his girlfriend.

"That's what I came to talk to you about. I've asked her to marry me."

"Really?" I grin. "When's the wedding, or actually, where?"

"We haven't really thought it through yet. Mally's mother is hysterical and trying to plan it. I don't think it'll take place soon, it'll probably take a few months."

I smile and lean forward to hug Gale again. "I'm happy for you," I say.

He presses his lips together when I pull away. "Thanks." There's an awkward silence before Gale speaks up. "I thought you said you were never going to have any kids?" he says.

I snort. "I also said I was never going to get married. It's just different now then it was when I was sixteen. Snow is no longer president, and the districts are free to do whatever they please. It's just..." I fight a moment to find a word but end up only saying, "different."

The front door opens and I turn my head to see Peeta. His back is to me while he takes off his jacket, so he calls out my name.

"Right here," I answer back. Peeta turns and smiles at me. Then he looks at Gale.

"Gale! Hey!" He comes around to the front of the couch and chuckles.

"Katniss, what are you wearing?"

I pout like a little kid. "My clothes are too small, I told you this. We need to go buy some bigger ones."

Peeta smiles, slips two fingers under my chin to tilt my head up, and kisses me. "Okay, Katniss. We can go later." He squeezes in next to me and turns his attention to Gale.

"Good to see you. What brings you here?" he asks as he leans over me to shake Gale's hand.

"Actually, I came to say that Mally and I are engaged."

"Wow, that's wonderful. Congratulations." I knew Peeta like Mally. She has blonde hair but not like Peeta's. Mally's hair is almost white and her eyes are a dark green. She is beautiful. She's like Peeta in some ways. Sweet, and always thinking of others.

I immediately think _Did she know Cato? Was Clove in any of her classes in school? Were her parents friends with Enobaria? What about Brutus?_

I clear the thoughts quickly and tune back into Peeta and Gale's conversation.

"When is the wedding?" Peeta asks, repeating the same thing I said earlier.

"It's not going to be soon, but maybe in a couple of months. I'll call when Mally actually decides when she wants it," Gale answered.

Peeta moves his hand to my knee and squeezes it, his eyes still on Gale. As they carry out their discussion, I study him. Truthfully, I expected a negative emotion on his face, but he's smiling like nothing ever happened between Gale and I.

Nothing ever did. I'm with Peeta now, I have been for two years, so he has nothing to worry about. I shift my eyes to Gale. He has the same expression as Peeta. He's moved on, he's engaged.

I smile at this and think if it weren't for me, they probably would've become good friends. They talk like it.

"So, Katniss," Gale says, eyes drawn to my protruding belly. "How many weeks?"

"Fourteen weeks-or three and a half months."

"Wow. Are you excited?"

I look up at Peeta. He's grinning, and his smiles are usually contagious, so I feel the corners of my mouth turning up.

"Of course," I say. Gale doesn't ask to touch my stomach. I'm glad, I wouldn't want it to get awkward.

"That's good. I'm happy for you- for both of you."

"Thanks, Gale," Peeta says before I can get anything out. Gale stands up.

"I didn't mean to impose or anything, I just thought I'd rather tell you in person than over the phone." Peeta stands up too, and helps me to my feet.

"No, no, not at all," he says quickly. Gale makes his way over to the door.

"I'll call you when I get the details, okay?"

"Okay." I step forward and hug Gale. Him and Peeta shake hands.

"I'll see you later, Catnip."

* * *

><p>Later that night when I'm laying in bed, Peeta's finishing up a painting he started. I wait patiently for him to get done because I don't want to fall asleep before he's in here.<p>

I roll over on my side, take Peeta's pillow, and press it to my face. It smells like him and my stomach flutters. I hear a creak from the floorboards and my eyes fly open, but it's only Peeta, standing with his arms crossed and smirking.

"What are you doing?" he asks playfully, uncrossing his arms and slipping out of his shirt and pants.

"Nothing," I say, putting his pillow back and pulling myself up on my elbows. He climbs in next to me and kisses me. I turn my back to him and he presses himself against me, nuzzling into my neck.

We usually sleep facing each other and pressed close together, but we can't now because my stomach gets in the way. But I feel like we belong this way. The way his chest feels against my back, and how his hips fit perfectly next to mine.

Peeta kisses the shell of my ear, sending shivers down my back. "That was unexpected," he says, his breath blowing into my ear. "Gale coming."

"Yeah," I say, putting my hand on top of his that's on my waist and running my fingers over his. "But I'm really glad he's getting married."

"Yeah, I really like Mally. She's nice," Peeta says, lifting his other hand to push a piece of my hair that I had taken down behind my ear.

"I know you do," I smile and look over my shoulder at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I laugh and wiggle my hips against his. It seems that pregnancy hormones are making me more outgoing. It's embarrassing. I blush hard and begin to stutter my words. You'd think that after being married for nearly two years, I would stop being shy around Peeta. Nope.

"Um, uh, it's just that she's...um, really nice," I stutter, more blood rushing to my face. Peeta smiles and pulls himself up on one elbow.

Then he leans down and kisses me, ending my stuttering effectively.

"You've never been a good talker, have you?" he jokes, kissing the tip of my nose and laying back down next to me. Despite his teasing, I laugh.

"No, and I'll never master the talent like you have," I tease back. But it's true. He's always been good at talking. He can do anything with his words. _Anything._ I roll over to face him.

"Yeah, I know. That's just one of the many talents I have."

I laugh again. "Like what?" I ask.

"Hmm, well, I know I'm a good kisser," he says, puffing his chest out a little. I roll my eyes. That's true, but I don't say it aloud.

"I also know I am very, very good in bed."

I burst out laughing and slap his chest. "Peeta!" I say, my face feeling like it's on fire.

"What? You know it's true," he emits, raising his eyebrows. I roll back over, pressing my fist to my mouth to stop the giggling. Peeta is the only one who can get me laughing like this now. It used to be Prim, but I guess someone had to take over.

Peeta wraps his arms around me and kisses my neck. "I'm just joking, Katniss," he says, but then he presses his lips against my ear and whispers, "But you know it's honestly true." I snort again and shake my head.

"What? Does that mean I'm horrible in bed?" he asks innocently.

"Peeta! I don't want to have this conversation!"

"Oh great. It means I am. But, I mean I trained-"

_"Peeta!"_

"Just joking!"

I sigh and press my face into my pillow. I can feel the bed shaking with Peeta's laughter.

"Whatever," I snap.

"I love you," Peeta says.

After a moment of silence, I answer back. "I love you too." Peeta slides his hand under my shirt and presses it flat against my stomach. He leans his chin on my shoulder.

"What do you think is going on in there?" he asks quietly.

"I don't really know," I say truthfully. I haven't been reading those books my mother sent me, and laying here, having no idea what's going inside my own body, I realize I probably need to.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yay! Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7: Movement

"Katniss."

Peeta's voice pulls me from sleep. At first, I ignore it and try to drift back into my surprisingly sweet dream, but he calls to me again. I give in and open my eyes. Peeta smiles when he sees my eyes open, and brushes stands of hair off my forehead.

"I'm going to work," he whispers. I nod and he leans down to kiss me, putting a little force into it.

This is a reoccurrence, Peeta waking me up to tell me he's going to work. It started when one morning, about two weeks ago, I woke up and Peeta wasn't in the bed. He hadn't told me he was going to work the night before so naturally, I freaked out. I ran (hobbled is more like it) all the way to the bakery and opened the door with a loud bang.

Luckily Peeta was working in the front that day and stopped me before I started screaming for him.

Since then, he's woke me up every morning before he's left. I touch his cheek and close my eyes, ready to go back to sleep. Peeta plants one kiss on my forehead.

"I love you," he whispers.

"I love you too," I mumble, and then I roll on my side and fall back asleep.

* * *

><p>I sit on the bed, unaware of the eyes boring into the back of my head. Sensing a change in the air, I turn quickly and spot a nasty looking cat perched on the window.<p>

"Buttercup," I say quietly. I haven't seen him in a long while. A few months, actually, not since I found out I was pregnant.

The memories flood back, me throwing things at him, us weeping together at the loss of Prim.

I feel a stinging in my heart and press Peeta's pillow into my face to control myself. I take a few deep breaths before taking the pillow off my face and turning to completely look at Buttercup. I guess he senses something wrong, because he delicately hops off the windowsill and nudges his way into my arms.

I stroke his squash colored coat. Ever since...Prim, we've become closer. It started out as I just needed company other than Greasy Sae, but it sort of blossomed into a friendship; an odd friendship at that. I set him down on the bed and lay on my back.

After a few minutes, Buttercups climbs up on my belly and lays on it, purring occasionally. I'm a little over halfway there. Five months now. Only four more to go. I rub my stomach around Buttercup, alternating between the bump and the cat.

"It'll like you," I say quietly, looking at Buttercup's squashed face. He's meows and purrs loudly.

Thankfully, Peeta and I got shirts and pants for me that actually fit. The shirts were men, and way oversized because they almost reached my knees, but I'll be able to grow without having to buy more shirts. As for my pants, we found the stretchiest pairs we could find and they suffice wonderfully.

I stare at the ceiling. It's white, really white, and as it penetrates my eyes, I wish Peeta would paint it. Maybe some wildflowers, or a sunset, or even a field of tall, green grass. Anything to cover-up the bright white of this room.

I can imagine Peeta standing above me, mixing colors to find the perfect purple for a violet, or the right orange for a sunset. His favorite color. My heart aches with forlorn. I want Peeta **here**.

Being here by myself is boring. I want to hunt so badly but I can't. I'll probably snap one of the branches while climbing a tree. Sure, I don't have to climb a tree, but I don't think I'd be able to walk far into the woods without overexerting myself completely.

I rub in-between Buttercups ears as he purrs affectionately. An idea hits me quickly, but it deflates as realize Peeta's not home.

But I can wait until he is and ask him.

* * *

><p>"Katniss," Peeta calls up the stairs. It takes me a moment to set Buttercup down, get off the bed, and carefully make my way down the stairs.<p>

"Hey," he says, grinning. He pulls me into his arms and I nuzzle into his neck.

"How was being home?" he asks, running his fingers down my back.

"Boring." I pull away but Peeta keeps his arms around me. "Is there anything I could do at the bakery?"

Peeta stares at me. "What?"

"I mean, I can't hunt, I can't cook, and I can't do anything productive around the house. I'm getting bored. The TV shows nothing but newscasts about me and the rebellion. I was just thinking that maybe if I went to the bakery with you, even if I just have to sit, at least I'll have something to do," I say quickly. Peeta's eyebrows furrow.

"I can stay home if you want me to-" he starts, but I interrupt him.

"No. I don't want you to be bored too. If you don't want me to be at the bakery, I won't go. It's just a thought."

"No, it's fine. I'd like you to go, really. I just don't want you to strain yourself," Peeta says, brushing his fingers across my cheek.

"Peeta," I sigh. "I'm five months pregnant, not terminally ill." Peeta stares at me a moment.

"I won't," I say and smile. Peeta kisses me, just a peck on the lips, but it still gives me that feeling that leaves me wanting more.

After that moment passes, he leads me over to the couch and I roll my eyes at his overprotectiveness. But Peeta's a naturally sweet person so I can see why he'd be overprotective.

As I settle on the couch, Peeta places his hand over my stomach. I push my belly into his hand as I stretch. He likes to touch my stomach all the time. I understand of course, after all, I can barely keep my hands off it, too.

"Have you thought about names?" he asks quietly. I shake my head and look at the name books sitting by the fireplace. Peeta looks at me with a smudge of pity in his eyes. I hate it. I couldn't really deal with Prim's death at first, but I'm working with it. Very slowly, yes, but working nonetheless.

Peeta kneels on the floor next to me, his hands sliding down my stomach to push his fingers under my shirt. The shirt is mid-thigh, so it takes Peeta a few seconds to slowly pull it up until my whole stomach is exposed. He presses both hands flat against the slightly swollen mass. His hands are warm and comfort me immediately.

He's good at this. Then he leans forward and brushes his lips against my skin. Tingles arch up my back and I shiver at the pleasure, closing my eyes. I feel something push against my stomach, almost like a flutter, but harder.

My eyes fly open and I stare down at Peeta, who's staring curiously at my abdomen, right where his lips touched. He skims his fingers around my bellybutton and I feel it again. The fluttering.

"Katniss," Peeta says. My first thought is that something's wrong. I shouldn't be feeling this, or should I? I haven't gotten far in those books and I feel my body seize up. _No_, I think forcefully. This can't be taken away from me too.

"What?" I say carefully, trying to sit up.

"Katniss," Peeta says. "It's moving. The baby is moving."

I wait patiently, my heart feeling like it's ready to explode, and when I feel it again, what I now recognize as kicking, my heart does.

I let out a loud, wracking, sob and put my hands over my own stomach. Proof. Proof that he's (she's?) alive, in there and moving. My baby.

It's alive. When it comes out in four months (_four months!_) I have to keep it alive. I have to feed, bathe it, and take care of it. She's mine, and I will always be hers. Peeta and I both.

It will forever be ours.

* * *

><p>A girl.<p>

That's what the doctor said. She says we're having a girl. When I heard, I immediately shook my head at Peeta. This little girl is most _definitely_going to be a daddy's little angel, as I was with my father. Well, not so much an angel, but he would've done anything for me. I know Peeta'll do the same.

Even if it means selling our house (impossible, we're rich, I know) and having to live in the streets just because she wanted something a little overpriced.

When the doctor said the word "girl", I swear, it looked like all the stars in the sky were shoved into Peeta's eyes. He looked so happy.

And I was happy myself. It somehow finally clicks, more than it ever has before, that no matter what, she is going to have a perfect life. I would do anything for her, die for her.

Peeta laces his fingers in mine as we walk home from the hospital. "What do you think?" he asks.

"At least we can pick out a name now."

* * *

><p>"The wedding is next month."<p>

I snap myself out of the zone I had created, staring at the embers of the fire.

"Hmm?" I say, turning to look at Peeta. He's coming out of the office, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Gale just called. His and Mally's wedding is next month, but they're having it here, then going back to District Two for the honeymoon."

"Oh, great," I sigh, and then open my arms. I just want to be next to him, to feel him against me.

Peeta looks distracted as he slides in on the couch behind me. I roll over so I can face him, my stomach knocking into his as I do. I touch his cheek softly.

"What're you thinking about?" I ask.

Peeta shrugs and furrows his eyebrows. "I just...it's a bit overdue, me asking, but I feel like I should know."

"Ask what?" I ask.

"Why did you choose me?"

I stare at Peeta, confused until I realize what he meant. Why did I choose him over Gale?

"Did you ever love him? Like I love you?" he asks, seeing the struggle on my face.

I take a deep breath. "I thought I did. Right before the Quarter Quell, I'd told myself that I loved him, that I'd rather have him than you. I loved you, I really did, but in a different way, not the same as you loved me. I knew you loved me, I knew Gale loved me, but I didn't want the Capitol to start my love life. I didn't want something I hate so much be the result of something that made me happy. When I told Haymitch that it was your turn to stay alive, I knew my days were numbered.

"And the day when you said that I was pregnant, later that night I was thinking about what was going to happen, how I wanted a world where your children could live freely, I realized that it was _me_I saw me with you, not some faceless District Twelve girl, but me. Me in a wedding dress, me carrying your child, us together." I take a deep breath. I'm still not good with words, with my tongue, but I push on. He does have a right to know.

"So I guess that's when, but what really sealed it was when you were taken. I thought I could save you, really, but something told me I couldn't. It was horrible without you in District Thirteen. I could talk to Haymitch or Gale, but it wasn't the same. They weren't in the arena with me; they didn't fight for their lives next to me. I need _you_, I was still telling myself that I only needed you for comfort, but I didn't. I needed you because I...I loved you, I truly did. Plus, Gale is an angry person, a fire, and for a girl on fire, I'd had enough of the heat. I wanted something calming, sweet, and it was you."

I finally stop talking; realizing that I was ranting and it was a really long rant. I open my mouth to apologize, but Peeta touches my lips with his fingers, his face raw with emotion.

"Katniss," he says quietly. His eyes are a little red and I almost beg him not to cry. If he cries, I'll cry, and when I cry, it's not pretty. "I love you," he says firmly.

I wrap my arms around his torso and lean my forehead against his. "I love you too."

His lips brush against mine and I push forward, deepening the kiss. As I move my hands to slide across his chest, there's a loud knock at the door. Irritation immediately ripples through my body. I don't want to be interrupted. Peeta starts to pull himself up on his elbows, but I practically shove him back down. I crave something, but it's not food, it's Peeta's touch.

"Ignore it," I mumble, reaching for the top button of his shirt. After a moment's hesitation, Peeta relaxes back unto the couch.

Another knock resounds through the living room. Finally becoming irritated enough to slap someone, I get off the couch (it takes a few seconds) and storm across the room to where the door is. I yank it open.

"What!" I snap as it swings open. Haymitch stands there, looking a little shocked.

"I'd thought you'd be a little happier to see me, sweetheart," he says. There's a shuffling then Peeta's behind me.

"Sorry, Haymitch, we were just in the middle of something," he says. Haymitch eyes Peeta with his eyes narrowed suspiciously. I move my head to the side to look at Peeta. The top six buttons of his shirt is unbuttoned and his hair is sticking up.

"Something, huh?" Haymitch says sarcastically. Then he turns back to me.

"Neither of you have checked on me in a while, so I thought I'd make sure org of you are alive, and clearly you are."

I rub the bridge of my nose. "Sorry Haymitch, it's just been a busy few months, really. Are you okay? Is Mac still cleaning for you?" I say, anxiety coursing its way through my veins. I just want Peeta.

"Yes I'm fine, and yes, Mac still cleans." There's a silence that slowly starts to become awkward. Peeta puts his hand on my waist and Haymitch notices it, remembering he had walked in on something.

"Well, I guess this is my time to go. Safe sex." Before I can even blush at what he says, he's halfway back to his house. Peeta's chest rumbles as he chuckles.

"What?" I say now self conscience.

"I think it would be rude to not listen to our mentor."

* * *

><p>Peeta stops and rolls away from me, his hand falling on his stomach. I pull myself up on my elbows, the covers wrapped around my chest.<p>

"Peeta," I complain, trying to tug him closer to me. Right as I was really getting into it, right before we started, he does this.

"Katniss," he complains right back. I feel ugly now. I feel like he doesn't want me because of my ballooning stomach, and how I've gained so much weight. I've never been this self conscience.

"I don't know if it's safe," he says, eyeing my protruding belly.

"It is," I say. I cuddle up next to him and slip my hand under to covers to rest on Peeta's stomach, a few inches above his hips. His bright blue eyes dart to me then where my hand is resting. I use my index finger to lightly trace patterns all along his toned abdomen. He jerks at my touch and closes his eyes.

I trace flowers and hearts and swirls. "I promise, it's safe."

Peeta's eyebrows furrow and his eyes open. "Okay then. If you promise."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The longest one yet! And this is the most reviews I've ever gotten on a story! Love ****you guys! :) Review some more!**


	8. Chapter 8: Wedding!

_It started out as a feeling  
>Which then grew into a hope<br>Which then turned into a quiet thought  
>Which then turned into a quiet word<br>And then that word grew louder and louder  
>'Til it was a battle cry<br>I'll come back when you call me  
>No need to say goodbye<br>_

* * *

><p><em>"Push!"<em>Peeta screams at me.

"No!" I scream back. I'm only six months pregnant; I can't be going into labor! Peeta keeps screaming at me and so does the doctor. I want to tell them to leave me alone but I can't get the words past my lips. The pain running through my abdomen is crippling. I scream myself hoarse and grip my stomach.

It seems to be slipping out of my hands, but my hands are the ones being pulled away. Blood, slick and hot, blossoms from around the point where my bellybutton is and it feels like someone is stabbing me repeatedly.

I feel hot tears slide down my face. The doctor comes up from between my legs, blood dripping from her front. Then she smiles at me and laughs. My stomach is shrinking, and shrinking until I can see my ribcages pressed hard against my skin.

The doctor pulls something from my legs and I see her, my baby. But something's not right. She's not making a sound. She's a bloody mess and the originally white blanket she's wrapped up in is stained crimson.

"Give her to me," I say, reaching out, but Peeta grabs my stick-thin wrists and slams them above me, grinning at my evilly.

"Give her to me!" I scream, kicking out my legs. "_NOW_!"

The doctor drops her and kicks her towards the door. It opens and in come the wolves. The mutts. They're not the ones from the Games. There's one with black hair and grey eyes. I don't have to read the collar to know who it is. They all claw in and I can name them all.

Prim, my mother, Madge, Finnick, Peeta, even though he is still holding my wrists tight. Even the smallest one, little Fin, is there. I scream as the black one, Gale, opens his jaw and takes my baby's head into it.

She's still not making any noise. I scream and scream and scream as they crowd around her, blocking my from her view. I know they're ripping her tiny body apart.

"Katniss! _Katniss, wake up!_"

I scream once more before prying open my eyes. Peeta is looking at me in shock, the evil grin no longer there. Before I can stop it, a loud sob wracks its way up and out of my chest. Peeta pulls me against him.

I sob, one hand clutching my baby, the other holding on to Peeta's shoulder.

"Katniss," he says, and his voice sounds shaky. "You-you sounded like you were being tortured."

I don't say anything; I just bury my face in his neck and cry it out. I don't know how much time has passed, but when I lift my head and open my eyes, it's sunrise. I rub my eyes and touch my chin to Peeta's. His eyes are wide open and he looks upset.

"What is it?" I croak, surprised at the gravelly sound of my voice and the way it cracks. Well, I did scream a lot.

"I don't like the way you sounded. It reminds me of the Capitol, when they would play tapes of you screaming over and over again. I thought they were torturing you. I thought-" Peeta chokes. "I thought you were going to die."

I temporarily forget my nightmare and pepper Peeta's face with kisses, eventually landing on his lips.

"It's okay," I murmur, brushing his wavy hair off his forehead. "I was never there. They never touched me."

"Thank God," he says and grips my waist so he can pull me completely on top of him.

"Don't!" I say, trying to wiggle off.

"What?"

"I don't want to crush you! Peeta let me off!" I snap. He starts laughing. He laughs so hard that it shakes me up and down.

"Katniss," he says after finally catching his breath. "You can't crush me. Why would you think that?"

I glance at my protruding stomach that is sticking out of the tank-top I'm wearing.

"Katniss," Peeta sighs, shaking his head. "You don't even weigh that much."

I furrow my eyebrows realizing how self-centered I sounded. I'm six months pregnant, of course I'm going to weigh more.

"Are you going to the bakery today?" I ask, giving up on trying slide off.

"Mhmm, are you coming with me?"

"Of course."

Finally, Peeta lets me go. I climb off of him and strip out of my pajamas. Peeta is up on his elbows and looking at me. I rummage through my fitting clothes and pull out a red shirt and black stretchy pants.

"Are you going to get dressed?" I ask, pulling the shirt over my head. It drops mid-thigh as do all of my other shirts. I have to sit on the bed to put my pants on.

"Yeah," Peeta says. He changes into his white shirt and light brown pants. He has to help me put on my shoes because I can't seem to lean over. I give him my hunting boots because they're the only shoes I wear. I'm surprised they still fit after the minor swelling in my ankles and feet.

When we're ready, Peeta takes hold of my hand and kisses my knuckles. I sigh happily and push open the front door.

* * *

><p>There's almost nowhere to sit in the bakery, but I don't ever complain. I've been coming here for a month, I'm used to it. It was my idea to come with Peeta and I don't want to make his day miserable by whining the whole time.<p>

There's a set of tables and chairs, but those are for the customers. I settle with leaning against whichever counter Peeta's working on.

At the moment, he's kneading dough with his bare hands. He glances at me up and down, the goes back to working. I lean over and kiss his cheek.

"I was thinking about names the other day," I say.

Peeta raises his eyebrows. "Really? Did you decide?"

I shake my head. "I'm thinking of a flower though." Peeta nods. Then he stops working on the bread and puts his full attention on me.

"When we name her, I don't think we should name her after anyone. I feel like if we do, we'll be stuck with what happened to that person, you know? I think we should give her a fresh name. Start our own memories. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah," I say and I agree wholly. I couldn't name her Primrose or Rue. It would be a reminder. Every day I would have to look at my daughter and feel a fresh stab of pain at what happened to those little girls. It would crush me.

"I thought maybe Peony, Poppy, Violet or Juniper. I know Juniper's not a flower, but it's a pretty name." I shrug and Peeta smiles.

"Tell you what. You pick your favorite, and we can name our other three kids the other names. You like that?"

The idea is so ridiculous that I laugh. "Yeah, okay Peeta," I say, shaking my head.

Peeta laughs too. "Could we have another one?" he asks.

"We don't even know how this one'll turn out and you want another one? What if we're horrible parents?"

"I don't think that'll happen." Peeta places his sticky, flour-covered hands on my waist and kisses me.

"You don't know that," I mumble.

"Mellark! Back to work!" One of the other men who work in the bakery, Ulysses, shouts playfully. Peeta rolls his eyes.

"Good morning Katniss," he says, winking at me. I grin.

"Morning Ulysses," I say. When he walks by he mutters, "I knew having you here would be a distraction" in a playful tone. I scowl at his back.

He whips around, points his finger at me with his thumb up and says, "Later, Katniss." Ulysses turns to Peeta. "Hey, Peeta, someone came in yesterday afternoon after you got off, and they requested a wedding cake. I've already baked it. They sent in a sheet with the design on it, and I was hoping you would ice it?"

"Yeah, of course," Peeta says.

Ulysses turns back to me, his grey eyes sparkling. "Can't wait to see mini Peeta."

"It's a girl," I say quickly.

"Oh. Well then, I can't wait to see mini Katniss." He grins and walks out the kitchen door to work the front. Ulysses started working in the bakery almost as soon as it was rebuilt. I've always liked him, even though he has a strange sense of humor.

He's about twenty-eight and has a wife of his own. He also has two kids who come into the bakery regularly. I've come to know them fairly well, his six year-old daughter and five year-old son. They're both easily entertained, so we usually draw and color with things Peeta bought for them.

Peeta'll come over and help me with a few of the things I draw (which always turn out horribly). That is the only time I sit at one of the tables.

The sharp ache in my lower back brings me back to the present. I rub the spot in the small of my back and push my fingers a little, hoping to relieve the pain. At that moment, I feel a thump near my left hip and pause. She's kicking again.

I place my hand where she kicked, waiting for her to do it again. She does, but a few inches above my hand. I didn't notice Peeta looking at me.

"Is she moving?" he questions, coming to stand by me. I nod, the corners of my mouth turning up. At the sound of Peeta's voice, there's one final hard kick that he sees, and then she's gone. Peeta frowns a little. He hasn't been able to feel her since the very first movement a month ago.

"I bet after lunch she'll move. The food'll give her some energy," I say, touching my fingertip to his lips.

"Yeah," Peeta says, and then he grins. "Let's ice that cake."

* * *

><p>I was right. After lunch, it feels like my baby is fighting someone in my uterus. I'm sitting in the chair by the fire back at our house and Peeta is kneeling in front of me, his hands pressed against my belly.<p>

I slide a little further down the chair and close my eyes. I don't plan on going to sleep, not while my daughter's attacking me from the inside, but I feel comfortable this way.

"Does it hurt?" he asks, looking at me.

"No, not really. But I read one of those books and it says it will a little later on."

Peeta nods and leans forward to kiss my stomach. I push my fingers into his wavy hair. There's a sudden sharp sensation.

"Uh oh," I say.

"What?" Peeta answers back. I gently push him away and use his head as leverage to stand up.

"I have to pee really badly!"

I can hear Peeta's laughter as I rush to the bathroom.

"Not funny!"

* * *

><p>I can feel Peeta's body heat pressing against my back. I snuggle back against him as I try to fall back asleep. I hate randomly waking up. A loud ringing sounds from the office down the hall. Peeta stiffens as he wakes up and begins to get off the bed.<p>

"No," I complain and roll over, gripping his bare shoulders to pull him back.

"Katniss, I'll be back in five minutes. It's just the phone," he sighs, gently pushing my hands off of him. I groan and roll back over.

Now that Peeta's not in the bed, I can't fall asleep. I usually can't without his even breathing and warmth. I can hear his low tones floating through the door, but I can't make out what he's saying. After a while, he comes in through the door and climbs in behind me.

"Who was it?" I ask.

"Just Plutarch. He wanted to know how we were doing and how the pregnancy doing. He said that he sent something for the baby that'll be here on the next Capitol train."

"That's nice of him," I say, and I can feel myself already giving into sleep.

* * *

><p>Peeta pulls out a deep red dress and holds it out to me. I shake my head. It reminds me of fire. I'm trying to find a dress for Gale and Mally's wedding next week, but I can't seem to find anything in this small shop that sells maternity clothes. I wish Cinna was here, he'd know what to get.<p>

I continue through the rack of clothes I'm looking through and a dark blue fabric catches my eye. I slide the fabric through my fingers and it's soft.

After a moment, I tug it off its hanger and ask the woman working if there's somewhere I could try it on. She leads me to the back where there's a small room.

I change and slide the dress over my head, somewhat amazed how easily it fits over my stomach even though this was made for a pregnant woman. The dress brushes my knees. There is a small braid underneath the bust that reaches all the way around and from the braid up there are cool blue swirls mixed into the darker blue. I open the door and find Peeta, still looking for a dress.

"How do I look?" I ask. Peeta turns and smiles.

"You look beautiful, really. We should get this one," he says, running the fabric through his fingers like I did.

Still in the dress, I move over to the other half of the store where there are shoes. I can't wear my hunting boots with this. I find a pair of leather sandals similar to the ones I wore for the post-Games interview. These are dark and the string that is attached the the many pieces of leather over the top tie around my ankles.

I slip them off, hand them to Peeta and make my way to the back so I can change.

"What are you going to wear?" I ask Peeta when we're walking down the street.

"Probably just one of the suits I have left from Portia. There's no need to buy anything new for me." I nod and intertwine my fingers with his.

That's when I hear the train.

* * *

><p>"Gale, Mally!"<p>

Peeta and I were only a few houses away from the train tracks, so when it pulled up, we thought we'd take a look. Not only are there things from the Capitol, Gale and Mally are here too. I'm guessing they should be since their wedding is in a week.

I hug Gale first then Mally. She smiles at me and her eyes dart to my stomach.

"Congratulations," she says, grinning. I place my hand over my hard belly.

"Thank you." Peeta shakes hands with Gale and kisses Mally's cheek. If Gale and I would have ended up together, Mally and Peeta would've been perfect for each other. Mally is Peeta's counterpart.

"Where did you come from?" Gale asks, eyeing the bag with my dress and shoes in it.

"We just bought the dress I'm going to wear to the wedding."

"Ooh, can I see it?" Mally asks, her green eyes bright. I can't help but smile and pull out my dress.

"This is beautiful," she says.

"Thank you," I say again. She hands it back and I put it back into the bag. Peeta wraps his arm around my waist.

"I'm sure you guys have a lot to plan and talk about, and we don't want to get in your way. We'll see you at the wedding!" I hug them again, and then Peeta's pulling me back to our house.

Now we have to find something for Peeta to wear.

* * *

><p>Instead of having a full District 12 wedding, Gale and Mally decided to mix in a little District 2 also. So they're not just going to the Justice Building. We are meeting there so they can get their license, but then there's going to be an actual ceremony in the square, then they're off to District 2.<p>

Peeta and I are shuffling around our room, getting ready for the wedding. I hand my shoes to Peeta and give him an innocent smile. He slips them onto my feet and ties the leather strings around my ankles.

My hair is still wet from my shower and I almost begin to braid it, but I leave it down. It'll be good to have something different. Peeta is dressed in a suit we found towards the back of the closet. It still fits and he looks good in it.

"Ready?" Peeta asks, breaking my attention from looking at him.

I nod and Peeta grasps my hand to help me off the bed.

* * *

><p>Mally looks beautiful. Her hair is pulled away from her face in complicated twists (no doubt her mother did it) with small wisps of white hair around her face. Her dress is something else. It's not the traditional white all brides wear, it's a soft pale pink. The top is shaped like a heart and the rest flows all the way down a little past her ankles.<p>

Gale is the happiest I've ever seen him. He's staring at Mally and has this look in his eyes, one that can only be described as pure love. Peeta takes my hand and smiles at me. I know he's remembering our wedding, nearly two years ago, in the same spot by the Justice Building.

I smile back at him and give his hand a squeeze. I remember just as well.

Gale and Mally sign their papers quickly, then the whole party (a lot of people, really) make their way to the square. The couple leads.

Walking directly behind Mally must be her mother because she has the same white blonde hair as her. Next to her mother are three girls, the youngest being about fifteen, and I'm guessing they're her sisters. They all look alike except for the youngest who has dark brown eyes instead of green.

A small hand slips into mine and I look to my right where little Posy has taken a hold of my hand. I smile at her, a little shocked. The Hawthorne's haven't been in District Twelve since the bombing. As I search around, I see them. Hazelle, Rory and Vick. Posy is seven now, Rory fifteen, and Vick twelve.

Hazelle's eyes meet mine and she waves. Rory turns to see who she's looking at and spots me. He grins wide. I smile and turn back to Posy who has taken to skipping in the yellow dress she's wearing.

Peeta has his eyes trained on her and I know what he's thinking about. Our daughter. I tug his hand gently and his eyes shift to me. The corners of his lips upturn and he's about to say something but we've already reached the square.

* * *

><p>I drop onto the couch and groan. That was the most beautiful, longest wedding I've ever been to. I guess I'm not used to it because District 12 weddings are short.<p>

Peeta sits on the edge of the couch and slips my feet into his lap. He unties the leather strings and takes my shoes off. Then he starts massaging my feet.

I let out a moan. It's the best thing I've felt in ages. Peeta alternates between my feet until I feel more relaxed than I have in a while. When he's done I pull myself up (with some difficulty) and kiss his temple.

"Have you thought about the names I picked out?" I say quietly, because I feel like if I talk loud, it'll ruin the relaxed state he created.

"Sort of. I was thinking that if you pick out the first name, I can pick out her middle name?" he asks, touching my cheek. I lean forward and kiss him.

"Yes, of course."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: That was a long one. Yay! Gale is married! I didn't write out the wedding because I've only been to one that I remember and I'm sure you've all been to a wedding right? Therefore, FILL IN THE BLANKS! Plus, I don't really know the exact age of how old Rory was in Mockingjay, so I improvised. I hope that was right. I read online somewhere that Posy was different than Seam kids because she had pale red hair and green eyes. I seriously don't remember if that's true (I thought she had black hair and grey eyes?) but if it is, please tell me. I don't trust online. Another plus, I have never been pregnant and I don't plan on being pregnant for another ten years (I'm only fifteen!) so if I mess any of the pregnancy stuff up, please tell me. I get this stuff from a very trust worthy website. THANKS! And review please(:**

**And in addition, I need help deciding between those four names! If you leave a review, please give me your opinion! I like the idea of Katniss naming her daughter after a flower(:**

**(or tree(Juniper))**


	9. Chapter 9: Here She Comes

"He didn't," I say sharply, staring at the half-opened box that just arrived from the Capitol. It was originally supposed to arrive two months ago, but Plutarch called and said something went wrong with the order, so he had to do it again, and the train was delayed for a while so they could add new products to it.

Peeta doesn't say anything, he just opens the box fully and pulls out many dark pieces of wood.

"He bought us a crib?" I say now, my hand on my hips. "A crib? That's expensive though! Why would he do that?"

Peeta shakes his head and laughs. "Probably because you overtook the Capitol?"

I frown at him and peer into the box. "And he sent a bassinet. Perfect."

Peeta has a piece of paper in his hands and is reading it. "What are you reading?" I ask, hobbling over to him.

"The instructions. This thing can be a crib for now, a toddler sized bed later, and then finally an actual sized bed."

I gape over his shoulder and see it's true. Why would he send us something so expensive? I am thankful, but it's a lot for us to accept.

"I want to build it today. Besides, you're eight months pregnant, it's about time we fix up her room."

HER room. We still haven't decided on a name, but we've narrowed it down to two: Poppy or Violet.

"Okay, that sounds good," I say, going over to where he's squatting next to the pieces and running my fingers through his hair. "I'll stay in there with you. Maybe I can supervise."

"Peeta looks over his shoulder at me and grins. "You'd be a good supervisor. I'll put a chair in there for you, okay?"

I can't help the little smile that forms over Peeta caring so much about how I am. "Yeah."

I decided to make Prim's old room the room for the baby. I can't just leave her room untouched forever. Just last week, Peeta helped me go through all her stuff. There was a picture of me and her on her dresser, just before the Quarter Quell, and I nearly broke down when I saw it. I know I should've gone through her things during that first year back, but I couldn't. The pain was too fresh and I couldn't cope. Then last year, I just didn't want to. The hole in my heart had healed a little and seeing her room, they way she left it before running off to District 13, would rip it open again. I just couldn't, even with Peeta.

Now, I had no choice. To start my new life, I had to move forward away from my messed up old one. Doing that was tough, but it was necessary. I feel better now, more at ease with what happened to her. That night after going through everything and putting things in bags, I had the nightmare where Prim was blown to bits, over and over and over again, calling out my name, asking why I didn't save her. I couldn't wake up. Peeta was there with me though, and he soothed me with his words like he always does.

Peeta helps me up the stairs and then runs back down to bring up a kitchen chair. While he brings the pieces up, I walk next door, grab my pillow from the bed and place it on the back of my chair so it can support my back.

I look around at the now empty room. We gave away the things I didn't want to keep. The picture of Prim and I is now sitting on the mantle of the fire place, angled toward the couch. I touch the pale pink walls that have a golden shimmer to them. I run my thumb over it just as Peeta walks in. His face doesn't show pity, he just hugs me and kisses the top of my head. I sit down, position the pillow so that it's pressed against the small of my back and Peeta starts on the crib.

He works on it for an hour before finally getting it together. He sets in the mattress that came with it and pushes it against the wall. "It looks nice," I say, heaving myself up to stand next to him.

"Good," Peeta says, putting his hand to my stomach. I yawn and rub my eyes. The box arrived right after dinner and I was tired. I had a long day of sitting around and doing nothing while Peeta was at work.

He takes my hand and we walk to our bedroom. The first thing I do is curl up on the bed.

I stretch out my body, pointing my toes (which I can't see) and raising my arms high above my head. A few joints pop. I relax and turn my head to look at Peeta.

He's changing out of his work clothes, leaving his boxers on. I pout at his back. When I'd hit eight months, he said he'd rather me not go into the bakery because now he was really worried about me overexerting myself. I complied, a little sadly though. There's a sharp jab somewhere around my ribcage, and something's protruding from my stomach.

This scared me to death at first, but at my last visit, when I told my doctor, she said it was normal and if I poke it, she might poke back.

Before she can pull away, I gently push against whatever is pressed against me (an elbow or a knee?). A moment later, she pushes it back out and I laugh.

"Peeta, watch!" I say, pushing against her again. Peeta comes to sit by my side. I do this a few more times then stop.

"Just a couple more weeks," he says. Terror seems to start from my heart and wrap itself around every inch of my body. A couple more weeks and I'll be a mom and Peeta'll be a dad.

"Do you think you're ready?" I breathe.

Peeta looks up, pausing to think. "For the most part, yeah, I do. You?"

I press my lips hard together and shake my head. "No."

I have read the book on pregnancy my mother sent me. In fact, I've read it three times and I still feel it can't prepare me for motherhood. The thoughts from when Peeta first asked me if we could have a child surface.

What if I raise her wrong and she turns out bad? That questions is erased when I think of Peeta. If I mess her up, Peeta can level it out. He will be a much better father than I will be a mother.

"I know you are. Once you see her, you'll know what to do," Peeta says quietly, brushing my hair away from my face and kissing my forehead.

"I hope so." My mother agreed to come down this week to help me prepare. I tug Peeta's arm and he moves closer, encircling me in his arms from behind.

"Goodnight," he murmurs.

"Goodnight, I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

><p>"Close your eyes," Peeta whispers in my ear. I jump a little because he snuck up behind me while I was cleaning the dishes that have seemed to pile up. He's been upstairs the whole day, skipping work to do something. He wouldn't let me up there though, so I stayed on the couch most of the day, skimming over the pregnancy book just in case. He places his warm hands over my eyes and I close them.<p>

I grip his wrists as he leads me up the stairs. We take a left at the top and I know where we are. The baby's room.

Slowly, he pulls his hands away and I open my eyes. Peeta has painted the room. Instead of the pale pink with gold it's been for three years, it's now a field of many different colored wild flowers.

The sun is setting with reds, oranges, yellows and pinks stretched across the walls. There are small gold spots that look like their glowing all around the flowers. I reach forward to touch one.

"Fireflies," Peeta says from behind me. I turn to look at him. "There aren't many in District Twelve, but I remember when I was younger, I would see them outside my window. Not very many, and they were scattered, but I've always been fascinated with them."

I vaguely remember sitting in my own backyard with my father at a young age and trying to catch them while staying seated.

"It's beautiful," I exhale. The paint splattered tarp that protected the floor is balled up and tossed in the corner. I hug Peeta and kiss him.

"I love it. She'll love it."

"Thank you," he mumbles, pressing his face into my neck.

Suddenly, there's a gentle knocking on the front door downstairs. Peeta gets there before me since it takes me a few minutes to get down the stairs.

I hear the door open just as my foot hits the bottom stair.

"Hello Peeta."

I know that voice. I know it very well. I rush to where the front door is and I see my mother standing there, her bag set behind her, smiling at Peeta.

"Mom!" I move up next to Peeta and hug her.

"Hey Katniss, how are you?" she asks when I pull away. She looks the same as she always has, her hair pulled up in a loose bun with stray blonde hairs falling out, and her blue eyes brighter than ever. I guess going to District 4 and working in the hospital was good for her.

"Good." Peeta takes the bag from behind my mom and sets it behind the couch for now. She hugs Peeta and he kisses her cheek.

"I thought you were coming next week," I say, hugging her again. The resentment I felt towards her completely left after I realized what she went through. To a degree, I did the same thing when Peeta was taken. It was hard to function without seeing his face and not knowing what they were doing to him.

"I know, but I got off early and decided to cone down today. I hope that I'm not imposing. I know that it's sudden, but I really wanted to see you," she says and hugs me again.

"No, not at all. This was your house once, you're always welcome," says Peeta, grinning. I suddenly remember the crib and the painting Peeta did.

"Come upstairs," I say, tugging on her wrist. She follows me up the stairs and I turn into Prim's old room. Her eyes sweep around the room. "Wow" is all she says.

"Peeta did it." I take his hand and squeeze it.

"It's wonderful." My mom lets out a yawn and I realize the train ride was probably tiring, despite how fast they go. I take her to her old room and hug her again.

"I love you, mother."

"I love you too, Katniss."

* * *

><p>I can feel my stomach cramping up. I shift on the bed to try to find a more comfortable position to fall back asleep. My first thought is false labor. I've had it before and my doctor said if it happens again just to move around a bit. It doesn't seem to help the tightness in my abdomen.<p>

I can't find a comfortable position on the bed so I try walking around the room. I touch the white bassinet Peeta placed in here before we went to sleep. My stomach tightens again as I do. It doesn't quite hurt, but it's becoming uncomfortable. I rub my eyes and crawl back into the bed next to Peeta.

A few minutes later, I'm back up again, pacing up and down next to the bed. I almost feel like I have to go to the bathroom, but I don't. I stop as something warm slides down my legs.

_Oh, please don't tell me I just peed on myself,_ I think as I look down, but the small puddle I'm standing in is clear and it won't stop coming from between my legs.

I've read the pregnancy book enough times to know what it is.

_"Mom!"_

* * *

><p><strong>I still need your opinion on those two names: Poppy or Violet. Please tell meeeeeeee what you want! Review please :B Thanks!<br>**


	10. Chapter 10: Baby Girl!

"Oh" is the first thing my mother says when she sees me. Peeta jerks awake from my scream and he sits up, looking around in panic.

"What? What is it? What?" he says.

"Katniss's water broke," she says. She suddenly changes into her healer mode. Her tone changes. "Do you want to have her at the hospital?"

"No, I don't like hospitals." My stomach tightens again but this time harder. These must be contractions.

"Okay, Peeta, I need you off the bed and get some towels."

Peeta's up in an instant and rushing into the bathroom.

"Katniss take off your pants and underwear," she says, pulling the covers off the bed and placing Peeta and my pillow together in the middle. I'm glad I'm wearing one of my oversized shirts that almost reach my knees as I do what she tells me too.

Peeta brings back five towels. My mom opens one up and drops it over the puddle of amniotic fluid. She puts the other three on the bed and tells me to lay down. Peeta comes up to the side of the pillows as I lay down and I can see the anticipation etched on his face.

I pull my knees up as my mother looks. "You're already two centimeter dilated."

I grit my teeth through a contraction before answering. "Yeah, the doctor told me I was one centimeter dilated at my appointment last week."

"You have to be ten centimeters dilated before you can push. It could take hours."

It takes me three hours to be fully dilated. Other than the contractions, it's really not that bad. There's no screaming yet, but I groan, moan, and grunt. At one point, Peeta brings in his sketch book just to have something to do.

As another contraction hits, and my mother says that I have to push now.

"I don't think I can!" I cry, gripping Peeta's fingers hard.

"You can. You have to," she says calmly. I look at Peeta who gives me a reassuring nod. I take a deep breath and push hard. I can hear Peeta's voice in ear saying, "You're going to be a great mom. You can do this." My mother counts to ten and I drop back on the bed, panting and feeling light headed. Oh God, it hurts.

I feel another contraction coming and I don't need to be told to push. It burns.

"Okay, she's crowning," my mom says. She reaches up for my free hand and brings it between my legs to touch something warm, sticky, and solid. "That's her head," she says. I bring my hand back up. It's trembling badly. Another contraction.

"I can see her nose." There's shuffling around.

"What are you doing?" I pant.

"Suctioning her mouth. Push, Katniss, just a few more pushes."

Peeta places his free hand on my knee. "Almost there," he says.

I lean forward and push again. Once more, and I feel like something pops and all the pressure's gone.

I don't hear anything and I begin to panic. A burst of noise makes me jump. She's crying. I release my death grip on Peeta's hand (I hope his fingers are okay) and hold my arms out even though my mother is cleaning her off with a towel.

She takes the soft baby blanket out of the bassinet and wraps my daughter in it then hands her to me.

Her hazy blue eyes open and they focus on me, on her mother. A feeling of pure love grabs hold of my every being. It is thousands of times stronger than the terror I had felt just yesterday.

She has dark, soft hair on the top of her head, unlike the little blonde girl I had dreamt of so many times. Her eyes are bluish-grey for now. The will turn the bright blue of Peeta's eyes or the Seam color of my eyes later.

Peeta touches the top of her head. Her eyes shift to him and Peeta smiles. "She's beautiful," he says. He leans down and presses his lips to my sweaty forehead.

I look back down at my baby, at her rosebud mouth, at the nose she inherited from Peeta and my chin. She closes her eyes. I remember that I have to name her: Violet or Poppy?

"Poppy," I say and her eyes open back up. Peeta laughs and touches her cheek.

"I think she likes it," he murmurs. "Poppy Delilah Mellark."

I turn to look at him. "Delilah?"

He shrugs. "In the baby name book, it says it was popular before the Dark Days, but highly uncommon now. I like the way it sounds."

I smile at him. "Poppy Delilah Mellark. Beautiful."

An hour later, Poppy is screaming. Her mouth is shaped into an angry O and I don't know what to do.

"Here," my mother says, lifting Poppy out of my arms then repositioning her. "She's hungry. Do you know how to breastfeed?"

I shake my head. Peeta raises his eyebrows. "I'll go make some coffee for you, Mrs. Everdeen."

And _I'm _supposed to be the one uncomfortable with people being naked. Peeta's probably only trying to be polite, though.

"Take your arm out of your shirt," she says, lifting Poppy once more. When I do it, she says, "Now push the bottom up around your neck."

When I do, she places a pillow in my lap; hands Poppy back to me and presses her chin against my breast. She latches on and I wince. My mother guides my hand her back.

"Make sure to keep her nose off your breast so she doesn't suffocate. You're only giving her colostrum for now. The milk will come in in a few days."

"Okay," I breathe. Peeta walks in with a mug of black coffee and hands it to my mom.

"You got it Katniss?" she asks, putting her hand on my leg.

"Yeah."

"I brought the diapers in here. You'll be changing her often. She uses up about ten diapers a day, that's almost seventy a week. Good thing I sent you triple that amount. It'll last until the next Capitol train comes, okay?"

"Okay. Mom, how long are you staying?"

"I can only stay a week, but after that, you can phone me anytime."

Poppy wakes me up with a loud cry. I sit up and look at the clock. It's only been two hours since I fell asleep. Peeta awakes with a jerk.

I rub my eyes. I am exhausted still from giving birth only three hours ago. Peeta places his hand on my shoulder.

"It's okay, I'll get it. She probably just needs her diaper changed."

When Peeta stands up, I have a feeling there are going to be numerous nights of us waking up at three in the morning.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I am ashamed at how short this is! But I just couldn't wait to post it so there you are! Like I said before, I am not a mother, never been pregnant, never given birth, so I hope I did well for the birth. I don't know if it's right. Review please! I love you guys(: 105 reviews! That's the most I've ever gotten!  
><strong>


	11. Chapter 11:Remembering

_You cannot erase the past;_  
><em>you must let it go.<em>

_You cannot change yesterday; _  
><em>you must accept the lessons learned.<em>

_You cannot stop time _  
><em>or stand still in a world <em>  
><em>racing around in circles; <em>  
><em>you must dance with the wind <em>  
><em>and sing with the songs that are playing.<em>

_Let whatever mistakes you have made _  
><em>remain in the shadows of times gone by, <em>  
><em>and let love be the answer to the mysteries of life.<em>

_~Unknown_

* * *

><p>Peeta and I are laying on the bed on our stomachs, Poppy between us and level with our faces. It's almost been a full weeks since she's arrived, and I'm actually not that bad at being a mom. She lifts her fist and opens her tiny fingers. Peeta touches his finger to her palm and she closes her hand around it.<p>

Peeta looks the happiest I've ever seen him. I turn to look at Poppy who has her eyes trained on my face. My mom said that she would always be looking at my face because I am her mother and she likes my face over others.

When Poppy releases Peeta's finger, she kicks her legs and starts to whine. I pull myself up on my knees and lift her into my arms, resting her cheek on my shoulder. She stops and grabs the hair that's falling from my braid.

My stomach lets out a loud growl and Peeta laughs. "I'll make lunch?"

I nod. "How about that turkey and rice we had for dinner last night?" I ask.

"Sounds good," he says, kissing my forehead. I follow Peeta down the stairs, being extra careful while holding Poppy. Peeta sets to work on lunch while I rub Poppy's back. She hiccups then throws up down the back of my shirt. I sigh and use my free hand to rub my eyes. I go over to where Peeta is standing against the counter and touch the small of his back.

"I'm going to go change," I say.

"Okay, do you want me to take her?" he asks, putting down the knife he was cutting bread with.

"No, it's okay, I'll take her with me."

As I set her in the bassinet, my mother walks in. "I guess I'm going to go now," she says, touching my shoulder. She reaches for a hug but I take a step back.

"She threw up on me," I say sheepishly. "Let me change real quick."

I still have to wear my oversized shirts because it looks like I'm still four months pregnant. My mother points to my stomach.

"That'll go away in five weeks, just no sex-"

_"Mom!"_

"-and don't go hunting until after the sixth week."

I shake my head, the blood rushing to my face. My mom laughs.

"You're used to having people talk about your life, why is that embarrassing?"

I pull my shirt over my head. "Because you're my mom, and I don't like you saying the word...sex."

"It's not like I don't know you do it. You just had a baby."

I grimace and pick up Poppy who was starting to whine again.

"Still," I say. My mother laughs again and hugs me, holding me tight. She pulls away and kisses Poppy's forehead.

She picks up her bag and I trail behind her until I reach the front door.

"I love you, and don't forget you can call me anytime," she says, hugging me again. Peeta's done with heating up the turkey and rice and comes to hug my mom.

"Thanks for staying, Mrs. Everdeen," he says.

My mother smiles. "Anytime. I'll make sure they put extra diapers on the train."

She kisses Poppy once more and walks out the door, carrying her bag.

"I love you!" I call. She says it back and I shut the door. I look at Poppy whose eyes are closed as her cheek rests against my shoulder.

"I'll go put her down and we can have lunch," Peeta says, gently taking her from my arms. I fill the plates with the rice and turkey Peeta heated up with slices of bread with cheese and set them on the table.

Peeta sits next to me, sliding his hand under the table to rest on my knee. I smile. Since I've become pregnant, Peeta and I haven't really been as physically close as we were before. My mom's words echo in the back of my mind and I mentally groan.

"I'm just going to go ahead and say this," I mumble, my face getting hot over the words I'm about to say. "We can't have sex for five weeks."

Peeta blinks at me. "How come?"

"Because it takes six weeks for my uterus to go back to its original size."

Peeta just raises his eyebrows and I almost laugh. I guess he doesn't like the word uterus.

We eat silently, Peeta's hand on my knee massaging lightly. When we both finish, our bellies full, I wash off the plates while Peeta starts up the fire. It's still warm outside, but in a few weeks, it'll start to get cold. The house stays chilly though.

I come up behind Peeta who's squatting and poking at the flames and wrap my arms around his shoulders. He stands up and turns around. He cups my face and lightly brushes his lips against mine.

"Thank you," he murmurs. I pull away slightly in confusion.

"For what?"

He struggles for a moment, trying to find the right words. "Thank you for marrying me, for going through the pain of giving birth to our child." He rests his forehead against mine. "Thank you for everything."

My face heats up for the third time today. I cup his face in return. "Peeta, I love you. I would do anything for you, whether it's sacrificing myself in the arena or giving you a child."

He shakes his head and presses his lips against mine. I wrap my arms around his neck, to deepen the kiss, but Poppy begins crying.

Peeta kisses me once more and heads toward the staircase. I sigh. He turns to look at me and says, "What? It's not like we can do anything for another five weeks!"

I laugh and shake my head. "Go get Poppy," I say, grinning.

* * *

><p>I strip off my shirt and pants and stare at myself in the bathroom mirror. My eyes go to my stomach first, the one that'll be somewhat flat again in five weeks, the one that recently held my daughter.<p>

My eyes move to my upper arms and neck, the skin burned, healed, rubbed off and fixed again. I touch my collar bone where the skin is a little rough and red. How could Peeta think I'm beautiful? He'll find ways to whisper that to me every chance he gets.

There are no scars from the first Games, no reminders. The Capitol put that medicine into me and made my skin whole again. I blink a few times and keep staring at myself. For some reason, I do this a lot. I don't know what it is, I just have to see myself and be reminded of what happened, as if I'll ever forget.

The bathroom door creaks open and Peeta steps in. His eyes immediately lock with mine in the mirror.

"Hey," he says, smiling.

"Hey," I say back, dropping my hand that was still touching my collarbone. Peeta comes up behind me, bringing with him the warmth the cold floor leeched from me. He wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my neck.

"You look beautiful," he mumbles, his hot breath blowing against my neck. I roll my eyes because I know I'm not.

"What?" he asks. I forgot I was in front of a mirror and he could see me easily.

"Nothing," I say quickly. Peeta gives me a look and before be can say anything, I turn in his arms to face him. I take the time to study him. His long and blonde his eyelashes, the bright blue color of his eyes and the small smattering of light freckles on his nose.

There are things you just don't notice when you're far away. I like his freckles. I run my pointer finger across the bridge of his nose where most of them are.

I can feel Peeta's eyes as he tries to make eye contact but I don't look up. I move my finger down over the tip of his nose and land on his warm bottom lip.

"Are you okay?" he asks, a puff of warm breath skimming over the top of my finger. I drop my hand and wrap my arms around his neck. I bury my face in his neck and stay there.

"Katniss, are you worried or something?"

I shake my head. Peeta starts listing things: hungry, mad, upset, sick, he even joked by asking me if I was pregnant again. I shake my head each time, keeping my face buried in his neck.

"Please tell me what's wrong, I don't like seeing you not talking."

I pull away and lock eyes with Peeta. "I don't know," I say, tightening my arms. "I guess I'm just...remembering."

Peeta's face immediately hardens a little. "I hate that," he says, his eyebrows furrowed together. "I hate that you're forced to remember everything that they did to you, that's happened. You shouldn't have to go through that." His arms pull me closer to him. I rest my cheek on his chest.

"But I have to," I whisper. My eyes begin to fill. I hate crying. "I have to remember all the people I killed, what I've done to their families. Finnick has a son that he'll never see, Cinna won't ever design another dress, all of those children who died because of the war, even the Peacekeepers, didn't deserve that." Tears are splashing down my cheeks on landing on Peeta's grey shirt, making dark grey spots.

"Katniss," Peeta's voice softens considerably. "That was none of your fault. What you did for their families is give them a better place to live, to mourn. You did nothing wrong. You saved this country."

I keep my eyes closed, feeling whatever energy I had left drain away with Peeta's words. What did I say? He can do anything with words.

"Okay," I mumble. Part of me believes him, the other part thinks he's lying, but Peeta would never lie to me. Unless it were to make me feel better.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:Another chapter yaaaaaaay! I say yay a lot...anyways, review please! (:**


	12. Chapter 12: Nightmares

"I think I should give you a nickname."

I stop trying to burp Poppy and stare at Peeta. "What?"

"Hmm...maybe Kat," he says, looking me up and down. I pass him Poppy because he seems to have a special talent for burping her.

"Here, burp her please." Peeta sets Poppy on the edge of his knee, using his right hand to hold her chin, and patting her back with his left.

"Or maybe Nissy."

"Oh, God, Peeta please don't. If you call me Nissy, I'll call you Pee-Pee, I promise."

Peeta laughs. "Deal." I roll my eyes but a smile creeps its way onto my face. Poppy burps and then throws up on Peeta's hand, herself, and his knee.

I laugh at Peeta's face. "It's hot" is all he says. I take Poppy from him, who's looking around curiously, and take her over to the sink. I take off her onesie, get a wet washcloth, and gently clean her belly and mouth.

"Ew," I hear Peeta groan behind me. "I have your breast milk on me! Ew," he groans, making his way up the stairs. I laugh more. Poppy is staring at me, smiling a little.

"Good job," I say, taking her out of the sink to get her another onesie. "That'll teach him not to give me a nickname."

I hear Peeta's heavy footfalls coming down the stairs. Before I realize what I'm doing, a smirk is on my lips. Peeta goes over to the sink to dry his hands, wearing a clean pair of pants.

"What are you smirking at?" he asks, looking at me up and down.

"I think that that was Poppy's opinion on 'Nissy'," I say. Peeta just shakes his head and takes Poppy from me. He sits on the couch and I follow, my mouth pulled into a full-fledged grin.

Peeta blows a raspberry and Poppy giggles, slapping him in the mouth with her small hand. Peeta blows another one and Poppy looks absolutely delighted.

I lean my head on his shoulder and tickle Poppy's belly. She kicks her legs out and my left hand immediately falls to my stomach.

It's almost flat (well, flatter than it was four weeks ago). I miss her inside me. I miss her kicks and that one time she had the hiccups and my belly jumped every few minutes. I feel different now that she's out, but not just my body, but my heart. I know what she feels like and she knows what I look like. It's strange to officially be two separate human beings.

Peeta takes my hand from my stomach and intertwines out fingers as if he knows what I'm thinking.

"We should have another one," he says, grinning.

"Peeta," I say, shaking my head. "It hasn't even been that long. Poppy's only a month old and we don't know if parenting is...my thing." I almost said 'our thing', but that wouldn't be right. Peeta's a great father.

He pouts. "C'mon, Katniss, I know you want another one. You're a great mom, you know." Uh oh, here goes Peeta talking again. I have a feeling that he'll have me convinced in an hour to have another child.

It feels like we're talking about a goat or another animal by the way we say 'one'.

I furrow my eyebrows. "Can we talk about it later? Because I KNOW we're not having another baby for a long while."

Peeta grins and I realize why. "_If_," I say, "_If_ we have another baby."

He laughs. "Let's have seven," he jokes. I stare at him until he says, "Just joking."

No way am I having_ seven children_. Another one is a possibility, but seven? No.

He takes Poppy's feet and plants kisses on the bottoms of them. "Truthfully, I'm just glad you didn't take fifteen years to decide. That would've killed me."

I laugh and touch his cheek. "I wouldn't do that to you."

He kisses the palm of my hand in return. "Good."

* * *

><p>I jerk awake when Poppy begins to cry. Peeta didn't go to sleep until about four in the morning yesterday because he started having nightmares. Even now, he's grimacing in his sleep.<p>

I quickly get out of the bed and take Poppy into her room so she doesn't wake Peeta. I can't usually get her to stop crying quickly. That's Peeta's thing.

I sit in the rocking chair by the window and start to rock her, but it seems she doesn't want to stop. I try to think what Peeta does, but I can't remember.

She's not hungry, and she doesn't need her diaper changed. I remember what I did for Prim on those days I couldn't get any food and the hunger would be so uncomfortable that she'd start to cry. I'd sing.

I start off humming a mixture of tunes, thinking maybe it would calm her. It doesn't. My humming slows and changes until it's just one song, a song used to calm children. When the humming isn't enough, I begin to sing.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_

_Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes_

_And when again they open, the sun will rise_

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet–_

–_and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you._

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_

_A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_

_Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_

_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away_

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet–_

– _and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you._

The words come out of my mouth, and I can see myself, sitting in the rocking chair and holding the now quiet Poppy, but everything changes in a whirl of colors. A spear is stuck in the stomach of my sweet ally. The same song, the same mouth, but at two different times.

Her eyes are starting to close when I reach the middle of my song. I feel the horror and sadness building up in the pit of my stomach but I can't bring myself back to Poppy's room. Rue's hand tightens in mine. The pressure won't release, even after the cannon fires. I'm stuck in the arena, stuck in the last moments of this dying girl.

"Katniss?"

Someone's warm hand touches my shoulder and I'm yanked back into the present. Peeta stands in front of me, his eyebrows furrowed and the lack of sleep present in his eyes.

"Peeta." I can't help the trembling of my chin. He gently takes the calmed Poppy and sets her in her crib even though she sleeps in our room. He pulls me up from the chair and wraps his arms around me as I begin to sob.

"I couldn't leave," I cry, gripping his shirt tight. He lays his cheek on the top of my head and rubs my back in long, even strokes.

"Leave what?" he murmurs.

"The arena. She wouldn't let me go, Rue wouldn't let me go."

Peeta grips me tighter and kisses the top of my head. "The Games are over, Katniss, it's okay, I promise."

I clench my teeth to stop the tears and try to control my quick, short breaths. I don't pull away until my legs begin to ache for standing in the same spot for too long.

Peeta rubs his eyes and only now do I notice the purple circles underneath them. I trace them lightly and sigh.

"I'm sorry Peeta," I say, resting my hand on his cheek. He squints at me.

"For what?" he asks innocently.

"I'm sorry for you not getting any sleep, and with Poppy and I keeping you up."

Peeta sighs and rubs his temples. "It's not your fault, Katniss."

"I don't care it's not my fault, you're still suffering. Tomorrow, I'll keep Poppy downstairs and you can sleep all day, okay?"

Peeta closes his eyes and leans his forehead against mine. "What about the nightmares?" he mumbles, now squeezing his eyes.

I put both my hands on his cheeks. "Don't worry, I'll call my mom and ask about them. I'm sure there's a way for them to stop other than taking pills from the Capitol."

He nods and tilts his head down to kiss me. "We should go back to bed," Peeta murmurs, sliding his hands down to my waist.

"Mhmm."

* * *

><p>I hand a steaming cup of tea to Peeta sitting on the bed.<p>

I called my mom later that day at a respectable time and asked what I could do. The first thing she said was to make him an herbal tea and that I could find all the herbs in the meadow. Children who had witnessed a mine explosion would come in our house with their parents and cry about horrible nightmares. My mother would get Prim to go pick the herbs and she would make the tea. I never had any because I never told my mother about the nightmares I had about my father and the Games.

"My mom said you'll have one very bad nightmare, you'll wake up, and when you go back to sleep there won't be any more nightmares, only dreams."

Peeta takes a sip of the tea and squints his eyes. "That's strong," he chokes.

I frown. "I forgot. It has to be strong because you're an adult. I'm sorry."

He takes a large drink and his eyes begin to water. "Whatever makes them stop."

Peeta takes a few minutes to down the rest of the tea and sets the empty mug on the table beside the bed. He grins at me but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm ready."

I flip off the lights, making sure Poppy is asleep before I crawl in next to Peeta. I made sure to feed her and she passed out like she always does when her belly's full. Peeta's eyes are already heavy.

This stuff will knock you out. I snuggle up next to him and wait for the nightmares to start.

They do about thirty minutes in. Peeta starts twitching and making sounds of discomfort. His body heat radiates off him in rolls.

I hate it when Peeta has nightmares. I hate seeing him in pain. If I can barely handle him like this, I wonder what it's like for Peeta when I wake up screaming almost every night. He grimaces, rolls away from me, then rolls back. I want to wake him now, but I know if I do, he'll only have to do it over again.

"No," he mumbles, squeezing his eyes tight. "No, please, don't."

I bring my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them.

"Not Katniss- me, kill me. Leave her alone please, anyone but her," Peeta moans. Why does it always involve me? It makes it harder for me to hear him.

Peeta thrashes out, knocking his pillow off. It hit the table and the mug that was now cold, fell off and shattered. He groans and seems to fold in on himself, muttering "No, no, Katniss" over and over again. I can't stand the sound of him in pain. I unfold and cup his face.

He suddenly jerks up into a sitting position, pulling me into his lap with his quick motions and then almost knocking me off. Peeta's eyes dart around before landing on me. He grabs my face between his hands and smashes his lips against mine.

"Are you okay?" I gasp when he pulls away. He rubs his eyes, presses his face into my neck and wraps his arms around me. The silence presses on.

"Peeta, was it bad?" He nods.

I gently push against his chest. "Go back to sleep. You really need it. The nightmares should be over by now."

Peeta leans against the pillows and pulls me with him. I lift my head and kiss him softy.

"Sweet dreams," I murmur, meaning every word.

"Hopefully," he sighs.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I love reviews(: and readers((: ****"Truthfully, I'm just glad you didn't take fifteen years to decide. That would've killed me.****" ****I just had to add that part because do you know how hard that would be to wait _fifteen years_ before your wife decides to give you babies? ****C'mon Suzanne, I think that Katniss would've caved earlier than that. I mean, I would jump at the opportunity to supply Peeta with babies. But that's just me...**


	13. Chapter 13

hiiiiiiii this isn't an update (sorry, but the story is over even though there was only twelve chapters (I apologize for that)) but if you enjoyed this story, I thought you would like my other story that also involves a pregnant Katniss. Please check it out! Please!

s/9554023/1/

thank you I really appreciate it! C:


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